D’Amico and Maradona the Artists

Simon Basten

Oct 14, 2023

4 min read

Season 1984-85

Game 5, Serie A

Sunday, October 14, 1984

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio-Napoli 1-1

D’Amico gives Lazio the lead, but Diego Maradona produces a moment of genius to rescue a point for Napoli at the Olimpico

The season started in August with the Coppa Italia. Lazio had not done too badly and were almost through to the second stage. The last game was against Roma. A point each would have meant that they would both go through but a ridiculous penalty given to Roma and an Antonio Di Carlo goal gave Roma the win. Lazio could still have got to the round of 16 anyway on goal difference as Genoa had to beat Pistoiese 5-0 to overtake Lazio. Unfortunately this is exactly what happened with three goals in the last eight minutes. The Biancocelesti were out and Giorgio Chinaglia was furious. His temper did not improve after Lazio lost the first Serie A game against Fiorentina and most certainly not after losing 5-0 against Zico’s Udinese. He blamed manager Paolo Carosi for being too soft with the players and sacked him. Juan Carlos Lorenzo was called in his place.

Juan Carlos Lorenzo had been Lazio manager when Chinaglia joined in the 60s and he was very fond of him. In the first two games under his control, Lazio first drew at home with Inter and then away with Ascoli. But today they were faced with Diego Maradona’s Napoli.

The match

There was something of an artistic quality to Lazio’s 1–1 draw with Napoli at the Olimpico. The two outstanding talents on the pitch, Vincenzo D’Amico and Diego Maradona, each produced a decisive piece of inspiration during the most vibrant spell of the afternoon, before the match gradually descended into a less purposeful exchange of possession.

For Lazio, however, the performance offered considerable encouragement. Under Juan Carlos Lorenzo, the team was beginning to look increasingly organised and purposeful, and there was a clear desire to play with greater confidence and attacking intent.

Lazio had the better of the opportunities and could reasonably feel that they had missed the chance to take both points. Yet they also had to contend with Maradona, whose individual brilliance was enough to overturn much of the good work done by Lorenzo’s side.

The opening half was particularly impressive.

Lazio defended intelligently, limiting Napoli's attacking options while paying special attention to Maradona. Young Francesco Fonte had been sent to Naples the previous week with Bob Lovati specifically to study the Argentine, and he performed his difficult task with considerable maturity.

He did not attempt to stop Maradona through force. Instead, he stayed close, reacted to his movements and tried to prevent him from finding the space in which to create. Maradona still produced moments of extraordinary skill, but Fonte ensured that they were not allowed to dominate the match.

At the other end, Lazio looked dangerous whenever they moved forward.

Their reward came in the 36th minute.

D'Amico received the ball and tried a shot which Luciano Castellini was unable to stop putting Lazio ahead, underlining the attacking confidence that Lorenzo was gradually restoring to the side. It was an authoritative strike and the culmination of a first half in which Lazio had generally looked the more convincing team.

The lead, however, lasted only until the second half.

Maradona eventually found his moment.

The Argentine produced a wonderfully crafted finish, described at the time as almost a Giotto-like painting, to bring Napoli level. It was precisely the kind of individual intervention that separated Maradona from almost everyone else on the pitch.

Lazio responded by continuing to look for a winner.

Michael Laudrup was one of their most effective players and would arguably have been even more dangerous had he been positioned further towards the centre. He created two excellent opportunities for Bruno Giordano, one shortly after the restart and another in the 63rd minute, but the Lazio striker failed to convert either.

Giordano, once renowned for his instinctive finishing, appeared unusually hesitant in front of goal.

Lazio continued to threaten. Joāo Batista and Lionello Manfredonia fought tirelessly, while Gabriele Podavini produced one of the game's most intelligent pieces of attacking play when he created an excellent opening in the 72nd minute. Unfortunately, his weaker left foot let him down when it mattered.

Napoli, meanwhile, had adjusted their midfield structure to compensate for the vulnerability of their defence. Salvatore Bagni, Paolo Dal Fiume, Luigi Caffarelli and Walter De Vecchi worked together across midfield, allowing the libero to step forward and give Napoli an extra man in the centre.

It helped them survive Lazio's pressure, although Castellini appeared increasingly troubled by the demands of the match. When he eventually left the field after suffering a heavy knock, it seemed to underline the physical limitations that were beginning to accompany the veteran defender.

The game also contained controversy surrounding referee Paolo Casarin.

Lazio coach Lorenzo and Laudrup were critical of several decisions, particularly the protection given to Maradona compared with the treatment received by Giordano and Laudrup. The most contentious incident came in the 42nd minute, when De Vecchi appeared to impede Laudrup as the Dane was racing through on goal.

Casarin was too far away to make the decision with complete confidence, and the incident remained open to interpretation.

Despite the frustration, there was a sense that this Lazio side was moving in the right direction.

The atmosphere at the Olimpico reflected that optimism. The stadium was well attended, with flowers and banners appearing before kick-off, while supporters celebrated a team that appeared to have rediscovered its appetite for winning. The sunny, almost spring-like conditions added to the positive mood.

And there was a significant improvement in the technical quality of Lazio's football.

In the end, though, the difference between a point and three was Lazio's inability to finish their chances.

There was a fitting final image to the afternoon. At the end of the match, Maradona and Batista exchanged shirts, bringing an end to an old controversy and providing a gesture of mutual respect between two of the game's great characters.

Who played for Lazio

Orsi, Storgato (78' Torrisi), Filisetti, Vianello, Batista, Podavini, D'Amico, Fonte (56' Calisti), Giordano, Laudrup, Manfredonia