Lazio send Milan to hell four times
A devilish nightmare for Milan as Lazio outclass them with a 4-0 thumping
Also on this day: May 9, 1954, Lazio Triestina 5-1. After initial balance Lazio dominate and cruise to easy win. Player of the day: Renato Spurio
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had failed to defend their title but had finished an honourable 4th. More disappointing was not being able to represent Italy in the European Cup, due a one-year ban after the Lazio vs Ipswich incidents (pitch invasion, brawls, etc). Another problem was Tommaso Maestrelli's health issues which caused him to miss the last five games, replaced of course by Bob Lovati.
There had not been many new signings to the squad this year. The main entries were defender Paolo Ammoniaci (Cesena) and midfielder Antonio "Totò" Lopez (Pescara). Sadly some Scudetto winners and fan favourites were leaving: Mario Frustalupi "The Wolf Thrasher" (Cesena), local lad Giancarlo Oddi (Cesena), Franco "Bombardino” Nanni (Bologna) and Paolo Franzoni (Avellino).
This season Lazio had started with Giulio Corsini on the bench. Things in the league were not going great and after 7 matches Lazio had lost 3, drawn 3 (including Roma 1-1) and won only 1 (first game away to Sampdoria with a goal by Bruno Giordano on his debut). Then Tommaso Maestrelli returned, seemingly having resolved his health problems. Things however did not improve and Lazio lost the next match at home to Napoli and then continued to struggle.
At this stage of the season, in early May with only two games left, Lazio were in the heart of the relegation battle. The Biancocelesti had only won 5 games, drawn 10 (including both derbies) and lost 13. Lazio had not won a game since March 21 (Ascoli 3-1). To make matters worse their star striker and charismatic leader, "Long John" Giorgio Chinaglia, had just left for New York Cosmos. The table was worrying; Sampdoria 22, Verona 22, Ascoli 21, Como 20, Lazio 20, Cagliari 15. Lazio were desperately in need of the two points today and then had to hope for some good news from the rivals' matches.
In Europe Lazio had got through the first round of the UEFA Cup eliminating Černomorec (Odessa in Soviet Union, now Ukraine), 0-1, 3-0. In the second round they were drawn against Barcelona but the club maybe had not done their history homework and refused to play the Catalans in protest against the Franco regime. The Blaugrana were awarded a 3-0 walkover and then thumped Lazio 4-0 in Barcelona.
In the Coppa Italia things had gone better and Lazio had qualified for the second round to be played in late May and June. In the first round they topped a group made up of Ascoli, Varese, Avellino and Brescia.
Today's opposition, Milan, had come 5th the previous year under Gustavo Giagnoni. This year they had started with Giagnoni in the Coppa Italia but then in September replaced him with Giovanni Trapattoni on the bench and Nereo Rocco as Technical Director.
In Serie A Milan were third after 15 wins (including Lazio 3-0 and both derbies), 8 draws and 5 defeats.
In Coppa Italia they were through to the summer second round.
In the UEFA Cup they had eliminated Everton, Athlone Town (Ireland) and Spartak Moscow but then fell to Club Brugge in the quarter-finals (0-2, 2-1).
So for today's match Milan were superior but having already assured third place, and mathematically unable to reach second, they might be relaxed. It was certainly what desperate for points Lazio were hoping for.
The match: Sunday, May 9, 1976, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A warm but cloudy day in Rome brought out 55,000 spectators to this crucial penultimate game of the season.
A minute's silence was observed before the kick-off in respect for the victims of the recent tragic earthquake in Friuli.
On a happier note Lazio legend Silvio Piola was present in the stands today.
Lazio started the game at a furious pace, cheered on by a raucous home crowd. Plenty of early pressure produced a crossbar by Luciano Re Cecconi. Milan reacted with a Francesco Vincenzi shot well saved by Felice Pulici. In the 10th minute Lazio took the lead. A clear handball by defender Aldo Bet gave Vincenzo D'Amico the chance to score from the spotkick. He did, sending the Cagliari scudetto hero Enrico Albertosi the wrong way. Lazio 1 Milan 0.
Lazio continued to attack and had further opportunities with a D'Amico free kick and a Giordano volley but both were saved by Albertosi. In the 39th minute however Lazio doubled their lead. A Re Cecconi shot was parried by the keeper but "Bruno-Gol" Giordano was there to blast the ball into the roof of the net. Lazio 2 Milan 0, a vital goal also to improve their goal difference.
Lazio then had a goal disallowed just before the break. Roberto Badiani got a cross in for Giordano to score but the linesman claimed the ball had gone over the line, a very dubious decision but Lazio in control at halftime, 2-0.
The results of the other matches flashed up on the scoreboard in the interval and they were not great. All the four matches involving Lazio's rivals were 0-0! Provisional table Cagliari 17, Como 21, Ascoli 22, Lazio 22, Verona 23, Sampdoria 23. Considering the fact that three teams went down and Lazio’s last match was away to Como the situation was far from resolved.
After only a couple of minutes from the restart Lazio were not overly upset to see Gianni Rivera go off and be replaced by Egidio Calloni. Lazio were all over the visitors who could not cope with the Biancocelesti’s intensity. The clocks seemed to have been turned back to 1974.
In the 60th minute Lazio made it three. Re Cecconi won a tackle just inside the box and the ball arrived to Renzo Garlaschelli who gave Albertosi no chance with a low powerful right foot. 3-0 and maybe time to concentrate on the other results. Transistor radios and "Tutto il calcio minuto per minuto" meant the crowd were aware of what was going on elsewhere but to keep the suspense….more on that later.
Milan were finished and gave no signs of life. Lazio were rampant and continued to bombard "Ricky" Albertosi. The Italy Mexico '70 keeper saved from Lopez, Giordano, Gigi Martini and Re Cecconi. Milan's only offering was a Romeo Benetti low, angled free kick but "Felix" Pulici showed his feline qualities and saved it well.
In the last minute there was glory also for Badiani who got his first goal for Lazio. He ran into the area on the right and with a precise low shot across goal beat Albertosi for the fourth time. Lazio 4 Milan 0.
Lazio had put on a fantastic performance when it mattered most, with shades of the levels displayed only two years earlier when they had won the title (after all there were 6 of those players on the field today). They were however helped by Milan's somewhat lacklustre approach, maybe already in holiday mode.
Now for the other results… Some good news had come through, Cesena had beaten Como 2-0 and Juventus had beaten Sampdoria 2-0 while Ascoli had earned a point at Bologna and Verona a point at Torino, both 0-0.
The situation going into the last game was as follows; Cagliari 17 (relegated), Como 20 (relegated), Lazio 22, Ascoli 22, Sampdoria 22, Verona 23.
The last matches were Como-Lazio, Roma-Ascoli, Sampdoria-Napoli and Fiorentina-Verona. Lazio had a -5 goal difference, Verona and Sampdoria -11 and Ascoli -15.
It was tight and complicated but Lazio realistically needed a point at Como and to hope Roma would not lose at home against Ascoli. Roma were not a great team and were only two points above Lazio, plus the Giallorossi had already played some tricks in previous years to penalise Lazio, so things were still very much open to different scenarios.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Ammoniaci, Martini, Wilson, Polentes, Badiani, Garlaschelli (75' Ferrari), Re Cecconi, Giordano, D'Amico, Lopez
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Milan
Albertosi, Anquilletti, Sabadini, Turone, Bet, Biasolo, Gorin (I), Benetti, Vincenzi, Rivera (47' Calloni), Chiarugi
Substitutes: Tancredi, Zignoli
Manager: Trapattoni
Referee: Ciacci
Goals: 10' D'Amico (pen), 38' Giordano, 60' Garlaschelli, 89' Badiani
What happened next
So it was all down to the last match of the season. 5,000 Lazio fans travelled up to Como near the Swiss border to cheer on the Biancocelesti. Among them were my Roman neighbours who I, as a young boy, was very impressed seeing driving off with flags flying from the windows.
The match did not start well, to put it mildly. Lazio were 2-0 down after 17 minutes but luckily Giordano pulled one back almost immediately, in the 20th minute. Another serious worry, for once, came from the news that Roma were losing 1-0 at home to Ascoli. Halftime table for the third relegation slot; Lazio 22, Verona 23, Ascoli 24, Sampdoria 24. At the moment Lazio were down.
In the second half Lazio equalised in the 53rd minute with Badiani. A Re Cecconi pass put Badiani through on the left side of the area and with the outside of his foot he put the ball under the crossbar. 2-2, better and Lazio, momentarily safe as Verona were losing 2-0 in Florence.
Lazio continued to push forward as they were still at risk but squandered chances with Re Cecconi and Giordano. Meanwhile by the 60th minute Verona had pulled two goals back and levelled against Fiorentina but then in the same moment came the news that Roma too had equalised against Ascoli. Never have Lazio fans celebrated a Roma goal as much.
The results stayed the same and Lazio were safe on goal difference. What a few months ago seemed impossible had materialised, Lazio had survived. The fans invaded the pitch in Como and hoisted Maestrelli up triumphantly. Ascoli joined Como and Cagliari on the dreaded road to B-land.
Meanwhile in Rome I eagerly awaited my neighbours equally triumphant return from their long but well worthwhile drive in defence of the promised land, Serie A!!
Milan also lost their last game of the season 3-2, at home to relegated Cagliari, confirming their "distracted" mood. The Scudetto was won by Torino for their 7th title.
Lazio 1975-76
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 35 |
Coppa Italia | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
UEFA Cup | 4 | 1 | - | 3 | 3 |
Total | 44 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 48 |
Top five appearances
Players | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Badiani | 43 | 30 | 10 | 3 |
Pulici | 42 | 30 | 9 | 3 |
Wilson | 40 | 28 | 10 | 2 |
Ammoniaci | 36 | 25 | 9 | 2 |
Garlaschelli | 36 | 29 | 5 | 2 |
Top five goal scorers
Players | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
Chinaglia | 11 | 8 | - | 3 |
Garlaschelli | 9 | 7 | 2 | - |
D'Amico | 6 | 4 | 2 | - |
Giordano | 6 | 5 | 1 | - |
Re Cecconi | 3 | 1 | 2 | - |
Let's talk about Luigi Martini
Luigi Martini known as "Gigi" was born in Capannori (Lucca), on June 15, 1949.
He started playing football in his hometown team Lucchese. In 1966-67 he made 3 appearances in Serie D for the Rossoneri and then 27 the following year.
In 1968 he stayed in Tuscany but moved to Siena in Serie C. He stayed one season with "The Robur" (The Strength) and played 34 games with 2 goals.
In 1969 he moved to the Tuscan coast and joined Livorno in Serie B. He stayed in Leghorn two seasons playing 63 games with 2 goals.
In 1971-72 he came to the capital to play for Lazio. The Biancocelesti had been relegated to Serie B but, under fellow Tuscan and new manager Tommaso Maestrelli, intended going straight up again. "Il Maestro" transformed Martini from a midfielder into an attacking left full-back and Lazio were successful in their promotion quest. Martini played 34 league games with 1 goal (Reggina) and 9 games in Coppa Italia.
The following year Lazio went very close to the title but ultimately fell short and came 3rd. Martini played 29 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia.
The 1973-74 season was Lazio's masterpiece. A team divided in clans and considered a crazy gang came together on match days to produce fantastic performances and stunned Italy by winning the Scudetto. They also won both derbies. Martini was a protagonist making 28 league appearances, 6 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Novara) and 4 in the UEFA Cup.
The year after the title Maestrelli started to have problems with his health and battle with cancer. Lazio were unable to repeat the previous year's feat and came 4th. For the last five matches "Il Maestro" was too ill to go on the bench and was replaced by Bob Lovati. Lazio were also banned from Europe following the incidents during and after the previous year's UEFA Cup game against Ipswich Town (crowd trouble, brawls on pitch etc but all caused by a shocking ... and drunk referee). Martini had a steady season with 29 league games and 2 goals (Torino, Milan) and 4 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Pescara).
The 1975-76 season was a difficult one for Lazio. They started the season under Giulio Corsini but then after eight games Maestrelli returned, seemingly having got over his health issues. Lazio however struggled and at one point seemed doomed to relegation which they then miraculously avoided on the last game of the season. Martini had a solid season playing 25 league games with 2 goals (Fiorentina, Ascoli), 6 in Coppa Italia and 2 in the UEFA Cup.
In 1976-77 the team had a new manager, Luis Vinicio. Maestrelli's health deteriorated and he sadly passed away on December 2 1976. A never forgotten and marvellous human being and Lazio' s most popular coach in history. It was not the only tragedy to hit Lazio as on January 18 their blond midfielder Luciano Re Cecconi was shot to death in a jewelers, a possible prank gone wrong but more likely just a tragic misunderstanding . "Cecco" and Martini were inseparable friends. Back to the current season, Lazio had a good one and came 5th. Martini, despite losing his close friend, played 24 league games with 3 goals (Bologna, Milan, Torino) and 3 in Coppa Italia.
The following season Vinicio stayed on but was then replaced by Bob Lovati after 24 games. Lazio ended up 10th, in mid-table. Martini played less regularly; 15 in Serie A, 2 in Coppa Italia and 1 in the UEFA Cup. His friend and teammate's death was starting to take its toll on Martini's passion for football.
The 1978-79 would be his last with Lazio. It was a decent one for Lazio with an 8th place under Bob Lovati. Lazio also won a derby after three years with a late Aldo Nicoli goal. Martini played 19 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia.
At 29 and never having really got over Re Cecconi's death he followed one of his other passions, flying. During his career he had got into parachuting and even convinced Re Cecconi to try but now he wanted to actually fly airplanes. He got his license and became an Alitalia pilot.
He did play a few more games of football in the States; 7 games for Chicago Sting in 1979 and 14 for Toronto Blizzard in 1981. However he mainly concentrated on his new flying career.
Years later in 1996 he went into politics while still keeping his air pilot job. He was elected in parliament with the right wing Alleanza Nazionale party. It had never been a secret that he was politically to the right but despite some myths he was the only member of the 1974 Scudetto team to be oriented that way or to be particularly interested in politics.
From 2009 to 2011 he was president of the ENAV board of directors, in charge of air traffic control.
As a Lazio player he has his place in history set in stone. As a member of that unrepeatable 1974 feat and the crazy gang who pulled it off, led by the balanced and wise Maestrelli. Martini was a good, athletic left full-back who could defend well but also push forward on the wing. He was a dynamic, untiring, hardworking player and extremely reliable.
He played 255 games for Lazio with 10 goals. He also got 1 Italy cap but it is with Lazio that he will always be remembered, in the immortal "Campioni d'Italia" team of 1973-74.
Lazio career
Season | Total games (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup | Intertoto Cup | Anglo Italian Cup |
1971-72 | 42 (1) | - | 34 (1) | 8 | - | - | - |
1972-73 | 35 | 29 | - | 4 | - | - | 2 |
1973-74 | 39 (1) | 28 | - | 7 (1) | 4 | - | - |
1974-75 | 33 (3) | 29 (2) | - | 4 (1) | - | - | - |
1975-76 | 34 (2) | 25 (2) | - | 7 | 2 | - | - |
1976-77 | 27 (3) | 24 (3) | - | 3 | - | - | - |
1977-78 | 24 | 15 | - | 2 | 1 | 6 | - |
1978-79 | 23 | 19 | - | 4 | - | - | - |
Total | 257 (10) | 169 (7) | 34 (1) | 39 (2) | 7 | 6 | 2 |
Sources