May 29, 1983: Arezzo-Lazio 0-0

Lazio Stories
May 29
7 min read

Little by little

Lazio get a point before the promotion crunch match the following Sunday.

The season so far

Lazio in their third consecutive year in Serie B, after the betting scandal and relegation of 1979-80, had renewed ambitions this year. The previous season had been a depressingly mediocre 11th place but with the return of striker Bruno Giordano and midfielder Lionello Manfredonia (after the world Cup win armistice) they could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

The main players who had joined Lazio were goalkeeper Fernando Orsi (Parma), defenders Renato Miele (Catania), Gabriele Podavini (Brescia) and Marco Saltarelli (Lodigiani), midfielders Enrico Vella (Catania) and Roberto Tavola (Juventus- on loan) plus forward Claudio Ambu (Perugia).

Players to leave were the scudetto legends of 1974, keeper Felice Pulici and attacking winger Renzo Garlaschelli plus defenders Giorgio Mastropasqua (Catania), Dario Pighin (Taranto), midfielders Alberto Bigon (Vicenza), Dario Sanguin (Perugia), Fernando Viola (Genoa) and forwards Lorenzo Marronaro (Monza) and Walter Speggiorin (Massese).

This reshuffling of the squad plus the return of clearly superior level players such as Giordano and Manfredonia, added to the talent of fan favourite Vincenzo D'Amico, gave the whole Lazio environment renewed enthusiasm and optimism.

Roberto Clagluna, who had taken over from Ilario Castagner half way through the previous season, had been confirmed.

The season started in August-September in the Coppa Italia and Lazio were eliminated after 2 wins (Perugia 3-2 at home and Salernitana 3-2 away), 1 draw (Atalanta 0-0 at home) and 2 defeats (Avellino 1-2 away and Napoli 1-2 at home).

In the league Lazio got off to a slow start (3 draws) but then started winning games (6 consecutive between 7th and 13th fixtures). Lazio had then drawn the big match against Milan 2-2 at home (D'Amico 90th minute equaliser), won another (Arezzo 2-0 at home) and drawn 3 (Atalanta, Catania away and Cavese at home, all 1-1). At the halfway point things were looking good and Lazio were 2nd on 27 points (+4 on 4th placed Catania).

In the return games however the Biancocelesti had slowed down and in the first 13 games only won 2, drawing 7 and losing 4. Then after a 3-3 home draw against Reggiana on May 8 Clagluna had been sacked and replaced by former player Juan Carlos Morrone. On his debut Lazio had been trounced 1-5 by Milan but then won a crucial game against Atalanta 2-1 at home. Lazio were currently still 2nd, on 42 points, but only one above 3rd placed Catania and Cremonese and two above 5th placed Como.

Arezzo were newly promoted. The previous season the Amaranto had won the B Group of Serie C under manager Antonio Angelillo. The top scorer was Tullio Gritti with 16 league goals.

This season the manager was still Angelillo. The main new signings were: defender Massimo Arrighi (Varese), midfielders Giuliano Belluzzi (Ternana), Angelo Castronaro (SPAL) and forwards Giovanni Sartori (Cavese) and Pasquale Traini (Rimini).

Leaving were: goalkeeper Gastone Giacinti (Montevarchi), defender Marino Lombardo (Pro Gorizia), midfielder Massimo Tassara (Rondinella) plus forwards Guido Carboni (Benevento), Tullio Gritti (Brescia) and Mauro Vittiglio (Perugia - end of loan, then Reggina).

Arezzo were currently joint 8th, on 34 points with Sambenedettese and Campobasso (-7 on promotion and +5 on relegation). The Aretini were relatively carefree. They had won 10, drawn 14 and lost 11 (including Lazio 0-2 and recently Foggia 0-3 away).

Lazio needed a win today especially as the next game would be the decisive promotion clash at home against Catania. Arezzo on the other hand needed a point to definitely clinch survival and would want to do it at home.

The match: Sunday, May 29, 1983, Stadio Comunale, Arezzo

A hazy day in Tuscany gathered about 16,000 in the small ground of Arezzo. The relatively short distance (219 km) and the importance of the game meant that at least 12,000 were from the Rome area. There was also enthusiasm for the possible return of Giorgio "Long John" Chinaglia as owner.

Lazio were missing defender Carlo Perrone, midfielders Roberto Tavola and Michele De Nadai plus forward Leonardo Surro but none of them were regular starters so it was not a real problem.

Arezzo were without defender Massimo Arrighi and midfielder Angelo Castronaro but neither would probably have started.

Both sides started with seemingly defensive intentions. Tight man-to man marking and few risks. Lazio predictably went forward more but with little conviction.

In the 9th minute Vincenzo D'Amico weaved his way into the area but then had difficulty turning and his attempted shot was walled by Giuseppe Zandonà and Antonio Brunello.

In the 14th minute came the first shot at goal. Bruno Giordano tried his luck from outside the area, it was a good effort but Giuseppe Pellicanò parried well.

In the 22nd minute Lionello Manfredonia hit a forty metre pass to Giordano who stopped and shot in a fraction of a second but just wide.

Giordano was not fully match fit and his presence was only confirmed at the very last minute. Even at reduced fitness however he was still by far the best player on the field.

In the 24th minute the Tuscan hosts finally threatened. Emilio Frigerio got away from his marker, Marco Satarelli, and even went around Fernando Orsi but messed up his finish and Arcadio Spinozzi was able to clear.

In the 35th minute Giordano became provider as he set up Claudio Ambu in front of Pellicanò but the Calabrese keeper dived at the forward's feet and adverted the danger.

The last chance of the half fell to Giordano who despite his precarious physical conditions went for an acrobatic and ambitious bicycle kick which went well over the bar. Halftime 0-0. Lazio on top but the chances were few and far between.

In the second half Lazio had territorial dominance but also due to Giordano tiring had even more problems in creating goal scoring opportunities.

In the 64th minute the Biancocelesti replaced full-back Gabriele Podavini with Antonio Sciarpa while five minutes later the Amaranto took off forward Pasquale Traini and put on midfielder Salvatore Barbieri.

Arezzo had no intention of rocking the boat and Lazio's only big chance was in the 70th minute when Giordano teed up Ambu but the former Inter forward hit the ball straight at the keeper.

The game then went even flatter. Both sides were too frightened to risk losing a precious point and settled for a draw.

At the final whistle the Amaranto celebrated their survival in the division wildly while Lazio were not quite sure whether it was another small but important step towards promotion or a missed opportunity to clinch both points.

Lazio were now joint 2nd with Catania on 43 points (the Sicilians had beaten Foggia 2-1), Cremonese followed on 42 while Como and Cavese had 41. Next up was Lazio vs Catania. Not a game for the faint-hearted.

Arezzo were now joint 8th on 35 points (with four other teams) and mathematically safe.

Who played for Arezzo

Pellicanò, Doveri, Zanin, Mangoni, Zandonà, Brunello, Traini (69' Barbieri), Belluzzi, Neri, Malisan, Frigerio

Substitutes: Reali, Innocenti, Butti, Botteghi

Manager: Angelillo

Who played for Lazio

Orsi, Podavini (64' Sciarpa), Saltarelli, Vella, Pochesci, Spinozzi, Ambu, Manfredonia, Giordano, D'Amico, Badiani

Substitutes: Moscatelli, Miele, Marini, Chiodi

Manager: Morrone

Referee: Mattei

What happened next

Lazio then won the fundamental promotion clash against Catania 2-1 at home. On a torrid day the Biancocelesti edged a tense win with an own goal by former player Mastropasqua. All that was needed then was a point away in Cava de' Tirreni.

Lazio got the point. A week later they drew 2-2 against Cavese (Miele, Marini). They had a scare when Cavese equalised with a penalty four minutes from time but luckily the "Metelliani Blufoncé" did not go on to spoil Lazio's party.

After three difficult years in Serie B Lazio were back in the big time. The Biancocelesti side of town took to the streets of Rome to celebrate and gathered at Piazza del Popolo. It was not a Scudetto but it almost felt like one. The top scorer was Bruno Giordano with 21 goals (18 in league).

It had not been an easy ride and Lazio's second part of the season was not as positive as the first but they had enough talent to get them over the line and win promotion with a 2nd place finish on 46 points, behind Milan but one point more than a trio on 45 (including Como).

Despite Roma's triumph things were looking up especially with the confirmed return of "Long John" Chinaglia from the States as new president, but that's another story.

Arezzo finished 12th, on 36 points. They then lost the last two games (Sambenedettese and Cremonese both 0-1 away). The top scorer was Pasquale Traini with 8 league goals.

Lazio went up with league winners Milan and Catania (after a three-team playoff with Cremonese and Como). Emilia and Puglia mourned the relegations of Bologna, Reggiana, Foggia and Bari.

Let's talk about Antonio Sciarpa

Antonio Sciarpa was born in Rome on September 19 1964.

He started to play football with Pro Tevere Roma and at the age of 12 joined Lazio. He played in all the youth teams and was part of the primavera squad when in late February 1983 he started playing with the main team. He debuted in Serie B on March 6 1983 at Cremona where Lazio won 1-0 with a magnificent Bruno Giordano free kick with three minutes to the end of the match.

That season he made seven more appearances including playing the final minutes of Cavese vs Lazio, the last match of the season, which saw Lazio clinch promotion to Serie A after three years of Serie B hell.

In 1983 he signed for Cavese but played very little, just three appearances. He then played with Siena in 1984-85, Latina in the next two seasons and Viterbese in 1987-88.