January 30, 1994: Lazio Cremonese 4-2

Lazio Stories
23 minutes ago
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Signori returns and Lazio are back

Gascoigne dazzles, Casiraghi delivers, and Zoff’s men overcome Cremonese in a cold night at the Olimpico

The season so far

For the first time in 16 years Lazio were finally to play in a European tournament, since they had qualified for the UEFA Cup in the previous season. In order to celebrate the occasion, President Sergio Cragnotti was particularly busy during the summer transfer window: in came Luca Marchegiani (Torino), Roberto Di Matteo (Aarau), Paolo Negro (Brescia), Luciano De Paola (Brescia, but he was immediately sold to Atalanta) and Fabrizio Di Mauro on loan from Fiorentina. But more specifically, Cragnotti was able to reach an agreement for the signing of the best player in Europe: Alen Boksic. Unfortunately, the agreement was for the 1994-95 season and Marseille President Bernard Tapie did not want to let the Croat go any earlier. As a consequence, Lazio bought Pierluigi Casiraghi from Juventus. In the end, Cragnotti was a lot more convincing and Boksic arrived in the winter transfer window.

The arrival of the new players meant that some of the old ones had to go. Therefore, Lazio said goodbye to Karl-Heinz Riedle (Borussia Dortmund), Angelo Gregucci (Torino), Giovanni Stroppa (Foggia), Maurizio Neri (Brescia) and Valerio Fiori (Cagliari). In the winter transfer window Thomas Doll and Dario Marcolin were loaned out to Eintracht Frankfurt and Cagliari respectively.

The European adventure did not last long as Lazio were eliminated by Boavista 2-1 on aggregate. The Coppa Italia campaign went even worse and the Biancocelesti were immediately eliminated by Serie C side Avellino.

At the end of the first half of the season the Biancocelesti were fifth, just two points away from second place held by Juventus and Sampdoria. Unfortunately, they had lost Signori due to injury in the recent games and that had diminished their potential. He was however back in the first eleven and it was time to get back to business.

The match: Sunday, January 30, 1994, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio rediscovered both goals and confidence as Beppe Signori’s sudden return to form propelled the Biancocelesti to draw level with Inter and reclaim centre stage. On a damp, bitterly cold evening at the Olimpico, flashes of Paul Gascoigne’s flair — he would finish the match as captain — and the tireless work of Pierluigi Casiraghi proved decisive. Casiraghi set up the opener for Roberto Cravero and struck the second himself, leading Dino Zoff’s side from the front.

The stadium heated up as Gascoigne emerged from the tunnel, responding to the crowd’s ovation with satisfaction rather than sentiment. Eager to take on playmaking duties in the continued absence of Alen Boksic, he immediately began feeding Casiraghi and Signori, who met a robust Cremonese defence. Luigi Turci denied Casiraghi early on, while Signori fired a free kick high after Gascoigne was fouled, his exuberance curtailed by Marco Giandebiaggi.

But Cremonese, lacking the energy that had carried them through autumn, soon succumbed. In the 17th minute Signori sprinted down the right, Casiraghi headed on target, Turci fumbled, and Cravero bundled the ball in. Yet Lazio’s attacking sharpness contrasted with a shaky back line, and it wasn’t long before the visitors struck back. Andrea Tentoni tested Luca Marchegiani, and in the 24th minute Gianni Cristiani, unmarked, converted a cross from the right to level the match.

Sensing Lazio’s imbalance, Gigi Simoni’s side grew bolder. Aron Winter looked a shadow of himself, Diego Fuser out of sorts, and Gascoigne was already tiring. Lazio still created chances — Paolo Negro set up Casiraghi at the 35th minute — but Cremonese pushed on. Simoni replaced the injured Corrado Verdelli with Matjaz Florijancic before the interval, a move that immediately produced an offside-stopped chance for Eligio Nicolini.

The second half opened with Cremonese pressing fearlessly for the lead. Riccardo Maspero unleashed a thunderous free kick that Marchegiani spilled, but no one arrived for the rebound. The scare jolted Lazio, who struggled under Cremonese’s energy until Gascoigne produced a moment of brilliance: weaving past four defenders and chipping onto the crossbar.

That spark reignited Lazio. In the 22nd minute Fuser fed Signori on the right, and the striker unleashed a stunning, unstoppable 30-metre strike. Cremonese threatened only through an almost comical near-own-goal by Negro, but in the 31st minute Signori struck again. Released by Gascoigne, he fired a sensational shot clocked at 106 km/h.

Maspero pulled one back in stoppage time with a deflected effort off Cristiano Bergodi, but it was too late. Lazio, lifted by Signori’s revival and Gascoigne’s flashes of brilliance, claimed a vital victory on a freezing Roman night.

Who played for Lazio

Marchegiani, Negro, Favalli, Di Matteo, Bonomi, Cravero (82’ Bergodi), Fuser, Winter, Casiraghi, Gascoigne, Signori (76’ Doll)

Substitutes: Orsi, Sclosa, Di Mauro

Manager: Zoff

Who played for Cremonese

Turci, Gualco, Castagna, Pedroni, Colonnese, Verdelli (40' Florijancic), Cristiani, Giandebiaggi, Nicolini, Maspero, Tentoni

Substitutes: Mannini, Bassani, Ferraroni, Dezotti

Manager: Simoni

Referee: Bettin

Goals: 16’ Cravero, 24’ Cristiani, 35’ Casiraghi, 66’ Signori, 75’ Signori, 90’ Bergodi (og)

What happened next

Finally, with Signori back from injury one could see light at the end of the tunnel. Lazio won in Milan against Inter, the derby and by the end of the season they were third, behind Milan and Juventus. Marchegiani and Winter played the most games (40) and Signori was the top scorer with 23 goals.

As everybody imagined, Cragnotti did not confirm Zoff for 1994-95, but in order to keep a man so highly respected in the football world, he made him President of the club. Zdenek Zeman would be the next Lazio manager.

Let’s talk about Gustavo Abel Dezotti

Gustavo Abel Dezotti was born in Monte Buey, Argentina, on 14 February, 1964.

He started his career in native Argentina with Newell's Old Boys from Rosario. He made his debut for the "Rojinegro" in 1982 and went on to play 195 league games with 37 goals. In his last season, 1987-88, "La Lepra" (Leprosy) won the title. Their strange nickname derives from a charity match they organized in the 1920's to raise money for a leprosy clinic. They have a history of producing good players; Leo Messi, Gabriel Batistuta, Jorge Valdano, Abel Balbo, Nestor Sensini, Walter Samuel, Americo Gallego, Maurizio Pochettino to name a few).

In 1989 Dezotti left for Europe and joined Lazio in Serie A. The Biancocelesti were newly promoted after three years in Serie B. The manager was Giuseppe Materazzi and it was not an easy year. Lazio had difficulty scoring goals, only 23 all season in the league and seemed addicted to draws, 19. Dezotti scored 3 League goals in 29 games (Como, Inter, Sampdoria) and 6 in Coppa Italia (Pescara, Campobasso, Messina x2, Fiorentina, Inter) in 9 games.

Dezotti was not a great success in Rome. He was quick (he was nicknamed "El Galgo", the greyhound, in Argentina) but not particularly technical or a natural goal scorer. At Lazio he was often moved to the wing to use his speed. He was sometimes a bit of a scapegoat for the fans after bad results. He did however score a vital goal in Lazio’s history, a 1-0 winner against Sampdoria which practically enabled the Biancocelesti to stay up in 1989.

After only one year he moved up north to newly promoted Cremonese. The "Grigiorossi" under Tarcisio Burgnich (Italy and Inter legend as a player) were relegated in 17th place. Dezotti however had a good season and scored 15 goals (13 in league) in 30 appearances. He scored against Lazio home and away.

The following year the "Tigri" were promoted with 3rd place under first Burgnich and then Gustavo Giagnoni. Dezotti made a good contribution with 11 league goals.

Back in Serie A, Cremonese were relegated again with a 17th place finish. Dezotti was their top scorer with 9 league goals (Lazio again home and away...) in 30 appearances.

In 1992-93 the "Violini" again won promotion under Gigi Simoni with 2nd place. They also won the Anglo-Italian Cup (3-1 Derby County). Dezotti scored another 12 league goals and 1 in the Anglo- Italian.

In 1993-94 Cremonese finally managed to survive in Serie A. "La Cremo" finished 10th under Gigi Simoni. Dezotti scored 6 league goals (including Roma in a 2-1 Cremonese win). Dezotti played 154 league games in Cremona with 51 league goals (54 in total). In the Lombard town he was and still is a bit of a cult hero.

In 1994-95 he left Italy and Europe and went to Mexico. He joined León in the Mexican top league. He stayed two seasons with " Los Esmeraldas" (The Emeralds), playing 54 games with 17 goals.

In 1996 he left the "Panzaverdes" but stayed in Mexico and joined Atlas de Guadalajara. He stayed one season with "Zorro" playing 22 games with 1 goal.

In 1997 he returned to his homeland of Argentina. He joined Quilmes but never played for "El Cervecero" (The Brewer) and in 1998 moved across the Río de la Plata to Uruguay. He signed for Defensor Sporting from Montevideo. Dezotti played 9 games for "La Violeta" (The Violet) with 1 goal.

At 34 Dezotti retired. At international level he played 3 times for Argentina U20's winning a World Cup silver medal in Mexico '93. He also earned 9 full Argentina caps. He made his debut in 1988 and then took part in Italia' 90. He scored the decisive penalty in the quarter final shoot out against Yugoslavia. He then played the final but was sent off in the 87th minute in the Albiceleste's defeat by Germany.

In Rome he was known as "Cicciobello" (popular Italian doll -pretty boy, for his looks). At Lazio he will be remembered mainly for that vital left-footed volley on a torrid June afternoon at the Flaminio which saved Lazio from relegation. He did not leave a great mark at Lazio but obviously improved and had a good spell at Cremonese. He scored 110 career league goals, played with Diego Maradona and is one of the select few to have played in a World Cup Final (albeit losing and being sent off ...).