July 20, 2016: Lazio Padova 2-1
- Simon Basten
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Still waiting for newcomers
Despite the lack of new players, Lazio look to be on the right path
Also on this day: July 20, 2014: Lazio – Indonesia U23 2-0, Friendly. Two goals, a missed penalty and three posts against the Indonesian U23
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had not done well. They lost the Champions League preliminary round against Bayer Leverkusen and never quite got to grips with the disappointment. Manager Stefano Pioli, who had done so well in 2014-15, showed signs of confusion and was unable to stimulate the players. He was sacked with seven games to go and replaced by Simone Inzaghi, former star of the 2000 scudetto team and manager of the primavera. He did not do too badly in those seven games, but Lazio did not qualify for any European Cup.
President Claudio Lotito and sporting director Igli Tare then had the idea to sign Marcelo Bielsa as new manager. El Loco signed the contract and two days later resigned, citing differences with Tare and Lotito over the summer transfers as the reason. Apparently, rumour has it that once the news of him coaching Lazio started to spread, he got some calls from friends in Rome who were convincing enough to make him change his mind.
The Biancocelesti were without a coach and needed one quickly, so Simone Inzaghi, who was about to sign for Salernitana, was chosen.
Lazio were currently in the pre-season training period at Auronzo di Cadore. No new players had arrived at Auronzo, but the club had previously signed Jordan Lukaku (Oostende) and Ciro Immobile (Sevilla).
Leaving were Edson Braafheid (end of contract), Santiago Gentiletti (Genoa), Abdoulay Konko (end of contract), Antonio Candreva (Inter), Ogenyi "Eddy" Onazi (Trabzonspor), Stefano Mauri (end of contract) and striker Miroslav Klose (retired).
The Biancocelesti had already played a couple of games against minor teams. Today was the first relatively difficult match, against Padova from the third tier.
The match: Wednesday, July 20, 2016, Stadio Rodolfo Zandegiacomo, Auronzo di Cadore
After three minutes there was a penalty for Lazio. Senad Lulic was fouled in the box by Nicola Madonna, Danilo Cataldi took the spot kick and gave the Biancocelesti the lead.
In the 10th minute Cataldi had a chance on a free kick but Giacomo Bindi parried into corner. In the 23rd Keita Balde on the counter attack, ball to Stefan Radu in the penalty area, his shot was deflected by a defender and Bindi yet again parried into corner. In the 28th minute Padova equalised. Cross from the left, Cristian Altinier, all alone in front of Etrit Berisha had no problem in putting the ball in the back of the net. 120 seconds later Lazio scored again. Keita dribbled half of the Padova defence and put a ball in the centre of the box which Filip Djordjevic had no problem tapping in.
Keita took over and in the 34th minute could have scored. He went off down the middle of the pitch, one-two with Lulic, but his shot was deflected into corner.
In the second half, space for the reserves and not much happened. In the 89th minute Simone Palombi had a chance on a Ravel Morrison assist but he was unable to make a connection despite the favourable position.
Another good training game for Lazio.
Who played for Lazio
Berisha (46’ Vargic), Basta (33’ Patric), de Vrij (46’ Maurizio), Hoedt (62’ Prce), Radu (62’ Germoni), Onazi (87’ Jarvocic), Cataldi (52’ Lombardi), Lulic (62’ Murgia), Kishna (62’ Morrison), Djordjevic (62’ Palombi), Keita (70’ Oikonomidis)
Substitutes: Strakosha, Borelli, Milinkovic-Savic
Manager: Inzaghi
Who played for Padova
Bindi (62' Favaro), Sbraga (86' Cisco), Emerson (46' Tentardini), Russo (80' Scevola), Madonna (55' Ilari), De Risio (81' Marcandella), Filipe (55' Giandonato), Dettori (62' Mazzocco), Favalli (62' Dionisi), Neto Pereira (46' Petrilli), Altinier (70' Bottalico)
Manager: Brevi
Referee: Amabile
Goals: 3’ Cataldi (pen), 28’ Altinier, 30’ Djordjevic
What happened next
Lazio later signed Bastos (Rostov), Wallace (Braga) and midfielder Luís Alberto (Liverpool). Leaving would be Etrit Berisha (Atalanta - on loan), Santiago Gentiletti (Genoa) and Mauricio (Spartak Moscow - on loan).
Back in Europe was the objective for the 2016-17 season and back in Europe it would be, thanks to a good fifth place. It could have been fourth place but the team threw in the towel once European football was secured.
In Simone Inzaghi’s first full year as manager Lazio played well, with some very spectacular matches. He started with a 4-4-2 formation but during the course of the year moved to 3-5-2 and the sacrificial lamb was Felipe Anderson who had to change from being a winger with a right back behind him to having to take care of the entire wing by himself.
The team however tended to put in pretty dismal performances against the stronger teams. Lazio were good, with an amazing attack and a solid midfield. Perhaps a stronger belief in themselves could have brought more points.
Lazio managed to reach the final of the Coppa Italia but were beaten 2-0 by Juventus. A spectacular double derby against Roma in the semi-final gave Lazio a good chance to bring home a trophy but that was not to be.
Immobile was the leading scorer for Serie A with 23 goals, his second win, first with Lazio.
This was the last season with Lazio for Biglia and Keita. Both would not repeat the standards reached with Lazio in the following years.
Let’s talk about Luca Borrelli
Luca Borrelli was born in Rome on July 8, 1998.
He grew up in the Lazio youth teams and in 2015-16 started playing for the Primavera team.
He participated in the pre-season training at Auronzo di Cadore in 2015 and 2016. In the 2015-16 season he made five appearances on the bench in Serie A as third keeper.
In 2017 he signed for Union Feltre in Serie D where he made 33 appearances and stayed a year before moving to Trastevere in the same tier.
No further news of his career is available.
Sources
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