November 25, 2004: Lazio-Partizan Belgrade 2-2, UEFA Cup

Dag Jenkins
2 days ago
16 min read

Lazio fight back to draw but are almost out

Two zero down at halftime Lazio clinch point but too little to have qualification hopes

The season so far

The previous season Lazio had finished 6th and won the Coppa Italia. This year however everything had changed. In the midst of a financial crisis new owner Claudio Lotito had cut costs, agreed a long-term deal with state debt collectors and set up a new look team.

For a start Roberto Mancini had left for Inter. A lot of the star players also said goodbye: Jaap Stam (Milan), Stefano Fiore and Bernardo Corradi (Valencia), Sinisa Mihajlovic and Giuseppe Favalli (Inter), Demetrio Albertini (Atalanta), Claudio Lopez (América -México) and Guerino Gottardi (retired).

Arriving at Lazio were players of a "slightly" different calibre, many unknown. Lotito became famous for signing nine players on one day. Some are best forgotten but the players worth mentioning were defender Sebastiano Siviglia (Parma), midfielders Antonio and Emanuele Filippini (Palermo) and forward Tommaso Rocchi (Empoli). One particularly welcome return for the fans was Paolo Di Canio after 15 years away. A move to appease the fans faced with difficult times ahead.

The new manager was former player Domenico Caso, assisted by club legend Cristiano Bergodi.

In Serie A so far, Lazio had won 4 (Sampdoria 1-0 on debut and Brescia 2-0 away, Messina 2-0 and Bologna 2-1 at home), drawn 4 (Reggina and Siena 1-1 at home, Atalanta and Inter 1-1 away) and lost 4 (Milan 1-2 and Chievo 0-1 at home, Parma 1-3 and Livorno 0-1 away). They were 8th on 16 points (with Lecce, Inter, Livorno and Cagliari).

In the Coppa Italia Lazio had recently lost the last 16 away leg at Cagliari 1-2. The return leg in Rome would be on January 13.

In this evening's competition, the UEFA Cup, the Biancocelesti had got through the playoff defeating Metalurh Donetsk 6-0 on aggregate.

This was the third match of the group phase which also included Middlesbrough, Villarreal and Egaleo. A strange format with no double home and away games but a single game against each. Lazio were struggling after 1 draw (Villarreal 1-1 at home) and 1 defeat (Middlesbrough 0-2 away). The table read: Middlesbrough 6 (2 games), Partizan 3 (1), Lazio 1 (2), Villarreal 1 (1) and Egaleo 0 (2).

The games this evening were Lazio vs Partizan and Villarreal vs Middlesbrough.

Only a win could give Lazio some hope of progressing in the tournament.

Partizan Belgrade along with Red Star are one of the biggest clubs in Serbia. By 2004 the Crno-beli (Black-Whites) had won 11 Yugoslavian league titles, 7 Serbia-Montenegro league titles, 5 Yugoslavian Cups, 4 Serbia-Montenegro Cups, a Yugoslavia Super Cup and the Mitropa Cup in 1978. In 1966 they reached the European Cup final but lost to Real Madrid 1-2 in Brussels.

The previous season they had finished 2nd in the Serbia-Montenegro League. The manager was first German Lothar Matthäus and then, from December 13, Vladimir Vermezović. The top scorer was Andrija Delibašić with 15 goals (10 in league).

This season the manager was still former Partizan player Vermezović (1981-89). The main new players were: goalkeeper Nikolas Asprogenis (Apollon Limassol), Nigerian defender Ifeanyi Emeghara (Teleoptik-Serbia), midfielders Nenad Brnović (Zeta), Branimir Petrović (Zeta) and Dragan Ćirić (Valladolid but former Partizan 1992-97).

Leaving Belgrade were: goalkeeper Radovan Radaković (Sturm Graz), defenders Milan Stojanovski (APOEL-Cyprus) and Nenad Mišković (Cercle Brugge), midfielder Ljubinko Drulović (Penafiel - Portugal), Vladan Ivić (Borussia Mönchengladbach) plus forward Ivica Iliev (Messina in Serie A).

To get into this group stage the Serbs had defeated Romanians Oţelul Galaţi 1-0 and then other Romanians Dinamo Bucureşti 3-1, both on aggregate.

So far in this UEFA Cup group the "Parni Valjak" (Steamroller) had played one game, a 4-0 thrashing of Egaleo at home.

In their league they had won 11 and drawn 2 (including Red Star 0-0) and were top of the table.

One of their players Ivan Tomić had played for Roma (1998-2000) but was not a great success. He had already played for Partizan between 1993 and 1998 and had returned this year after his spells in Italy and Spain.

A tough game for Lazio tonight against a young and talented Serb side.

The match: Thursday, November 24, 2004, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

A cold evening only saw about 12,000 fans turn up at the Olimpico.

Lazio had several players out injured; defenders Sebastiano Siviglia and Luciano Zauri plus midfielder Giuliano Giannichedda. The Serbs were missing midfielder Albert Nad.

The Serbs had announced they were coming to Rome for a win and their attitude confirmed their pre-match talk.

In the first six minutes they threatened a few times. Pierre Boya had a header go just over the bar and then in the 6th minute they scored. Ivan Tomic put a good through ball to Boya who with the outside of his right foot beat Matteo Sereni, 0-1. A good goal but the Lazio defence had opened up too easily.

Lazio took a while to reorganise but, after risking potential dangers a couple more times, slowly regained more control of the game.

In the 13th minute Simone Inzaghi tried a shot from a difficult angle and he was off target.

In the 21st minute Lazio had an Inzaghi goal disallowed by the linesman who was the only one who had seen an offside.

Lazio suffered a further injustice in the 24th minute. From a Simon Vukčević cross Boya headed but Sereni blocked, the Camerunese forward then kicked the ball out of the keeper’s hands and into the net and the referee incredibly gave the goal, 0-2. The Lazio players obviously protested and several were booked.

Partizan risked making it three in the 43rd minute when Boya almost got his hat-trick but from close range he volleyed over the bar.

Lazio had the opportunity to pull one back just before halftime when they were awarded a penalty for Nenad Dordević pulling down Inzaghi. Simoncino took it but it was a terrible execution and Ivica Kralj saved.

Lazio were two goals down at halftime, partly self-inflicted but also due to some terrible referee and linesman decisions.

For the second half the Biancocelesti replaced Tommaso Rocchi with César.

In the 52nd minute Lazio reopened the game. On an Anthony Šerić cross Paolo Di Canio pounced and drilled the ball past Kralj on the volley, 1-2.

Lazio immediately put on an extra forward, taking off Christian Manfredini for Roberto Muzzi.

Lazio now attacked furiously and almost equalised several times. In the 55th minute Emanuele Filippini shaved the post and in the 60th Paolo Negro's sliding effort went just wide.

The Serbs were still threatening on the break however and in the 58th minute Saša Ilić had forced Sereni to save with his foot.

In the 66th minute the Slavs replaced Dragan Ćirić with Branimir Petrović.

In the 73rd minute Lazio got the deserved equaliser. César crossed from the right and Inzaghi poked the ball home to level the score, 2-2.

Lazio then pushed forward for the winner while the Crno-beli took off Vukčević for Miroslav Radović.

Lazio attacked but were unable to get the decisive goal. The Serbs closed themselves in defence but still had a couple of forays on the counter attack to steal the game especially with former Roma player Tomic.

From the 90th minute Lazio had even tried with four attacking players by bringing on Goran Pandev for Serić while the visitors had responded by taking off Ilić for defender Branimir Bajić.

A 2-2 draw which was welcomed by Partizan but not by Lazio despite coming back from 0-2 down. Lazio had wasted the first half and left themselves a mountain to climb in the second.

Villarreal had defeated Middlesbrough so Lazio were practically out. The table now read; Middlesbrough 6 (3), Villarreal 4 (2), Partizan 4 (2), Lazio 2 (3), Egaleo 0 (2).

Who played for Lazio

Sereni, Oddo, Negro, F.Couto, Seric (90' Pandev), Dabo, E.Filippini, Manfredini (53' Muzzi), Di Canio, Rocchi (46' César), S.Inzaghi

Substitutes: Peruzzi, O.Lopez, A.Filippini, Liverani

Manager: Caso

Who played for Partizan

Kralj, Mirković, Dordević, Emeghara, Rnić, Tomić, Brnović, Ilić (90' Bajić), Ćirić (66' Petrović), Vukčević (77' Radović), Boya

Substitutes: Pantić, Milović, Grubješić, Radonjić

Manager: Vermezović

Referee: Stredák (Slovakia)

Goals: 6' Boya, 24' Boya, 52' Di Canio, 73' S.Inzaghi

What happened next

Lazio had a difficult season. Between today's game and Christmas, they lost 3 (the next game 2-3 at home to Cagliari, Juventus 1-2 and Udinese 0-3 away) and drew 1 (Lecce 3-3 at home). At the holiday break the Biancocelesti were 15th and looking very much like strong relegation candidates. They thus changed managers from Caso to former player Giuseppe Papadopulo.

His first game on January 6 was the derby and it was an unexpected 3-1 triumph, with Di Canio (16 years after his previous derby goal), César and Rocchi the scorers. Lazio on the waves of enthusiasm then won 3-2 away in Florence. They then slumped to four defeats (Palermo, Sampdoria, Reggina, Milan) and a draw (Brescia) before three consecutive wins (Atalanta, Chievo and Parma) gave them some oxygen. Some more bad results followed (including Messina and Siena both 0-1 away) but ultimately wins against Livorno at home and Bologna away and draws against Roma, Fiorentina and Palermo took Lazio to an agonized survival. Lazio finished 13th and top scorer was Rocchi with 17 goals (13 in A). Lazio then even qualified for the Intertoto Cup due to Livorno and Messina dropping out for various reasons.

In the UEFA Cup Lazio then only drew 2-2 away to Egaleo and finished 4th in the group. The league however was the clear priority in such a difficult year. The final table was; Middlesbrough 9, Villarreal 8, Partizan 5, Lazio 3, Egaleo 1. The first three qualified.

In Coppa Italia Lazio went straight out to Cagliari in January on away goals (1-2 in Sardinia, 3-2 in Rome).

A problematic first season under new owner Claudio Lotito but things could have gone even worse.

Partizan went on to draw 1-1 at home to Villarreal and then lost 0-3 at Middlesbrough but qualified in 3rd place. In the round of 32 they got the better of Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 3-2 on aggregate but were then eliminated by CSKA Moscow 1-3 in the last 16.

In their domestic league however, they triumphed winning the title, six points ahead of eternal rivals Red Star. The top scorer was Ilić with 19 goals (16 in league).

Partizan Belgrade have since won the Serbia Superliga eight times (but not since 2017) and the Serbian Cup seven times (last in 2019).

The UEFA Cup was then won by CSKA Moscow who defeated Sporting Lisbon 3-1 in the final at Sporting's homeground, José Alvalade (shades of Roma vs Liverpool 1984…).

In Serie A was won by Juventus but they were then stripped of their title due to the Calciopoli scandal and the Scudetto went unawarded. Serie B meanwhile awaited Atalanta, Brescia and Bologna (the Rossoblu after a 1-2 aggregate playoff defeat to Parma).

Let’s talk about Paolo Di Canio

Paolo Di Canio was born in Rome, on July 9, 1968.

He grew up in the Quarticciolo, a working-class district in East Rome. His family and three brothers are Roma fans but Paolo is always one to go against the flow and opted for Lazio. He was overweight and not a natural (he was knock-kneed and wore orthopaedic shoes) but he had character and exercised himself into shape.

He started playing football for a small local team, Pro Tevere Roma, but at 16 joined the Lazio youth sector. In this period, he still followed Lazio's first team home and away as a fan (even risking disciplinary measures from the club).

At 18 he was loaned out to Ternana (Terni in nearby Umbria region in C2). Here he found Lazio 1974 scudetto winners Mario Facco as his coach and Vincenzo D'Amico as teammate. He made 27 appearances for the Rossoverdi with 2 goals but also suffered a career threatening injury (even risking to lose a foot).

He recovered and in 1988 returned home to Lazio in Serie A. He made his debut away against Cesena (0-0) on October 9 ,1988. In his first season under manager Giuseppe Materazzi he performed well and played 30 league games with one goal but it was no ordinary goal.

In his debut in a Roman derby on January 15, 1988 Di Canio scored the only goal of the match to give Lazio derby glory after a decade. It was an excellent goal but what would be remembered even more was his celebration. In emulation of his hero Giorgio Chinaglia the youngster from Quarticciolo ran towards the Roma fan sector with his arm outstretched and index finger in the air towards the Curva Sud, an audacious gesture for a 20-year-old but understandable considering his background. A legendary goal and celebration, already making Di Canio a club hero.

The following season he played 24 league games and scored 3 goals (including the winner in a 1-0 home win over Juventus). He was gradually attracting more and more attention from the rich and powerful northern clubs.

In 1990 Lazio president Gian Marco Calleri sold Di Canio to Juventus for 7.5 billion Lire (approx 3.5 million Euros). He did so totally against Di Canio's wishes but he was forced to go. The fans were misinformed about the dynamics of the sale so for a period took against the player. There is the story of Di Canio watching a Lazio match in a hotel while in pre-match retreat with Juventus and, hearing the Lazio fans hostile chants against him, he broke into tears. The truth however would gradually emerge and Di Canio would not be considered a traitor for long.

At Juventus he played for three seasons before falling out with manager Giovanni Trapattoni. He made 78 league appearances (6 goals), 19 in Coppa Italia (1 goal) and 14 in Europe. At Juventus he won the UEFA Cup (1992-93).

In 1993 he moved South to Naples. He would stay only one season but it was a positive one with 26 league games (5 goals) and one game in Coppa Italia.

One of his 5 league goals was a superb one against Milan who then would sign him in 1994. He played two seasons for the Rossoneri without ever really becoming a first choice player. He made 37 league appearances (6 goals), 6 in Coppa Italia (1 goal) and ten in European competitions. With Milan he won a Scudetto in 1995-96 and a UEFA Super Cup in 1994. He left Milan in 1996 again after problems with the manager, this time Fabio Capello.

In 1996 he started the British chapter of his career. The first stop was Glasgow, Scotland where he joined Celtic. He had an excellent season playing 37 times and scoring 15 times. He was voted SPFA Player of the Year. His time in Scotland was not without controversy including sendings off and aggressive behaviour especially in the Old Firm derby. At the end of the season he demanded a substantial pay rise and was soon on his way south of the border to Yorkshire, England.

In 1997 Di Canio signed for Sheffield Wednesday in the English top flight. He had a great first season with the Owls and scored 14 goals in 40 appearances (35 in the Premier League). His second season soon hit disaster. In September 1998 in a home game against Arsenal Di Canio got involved in an on-pitch scuffle which culminated in him pushing the referee, Paul Alcock to the ground. The actual push was not particularly violent but the referee, caught off guard, exaggerating the fall or maybe just uncoordinated, went sprawling several metres and ended up collapsing in an undignified, ungainly heap. Di Canio would not play for Sheffield Wednesday again. He was obviously massacred in the media and by the FA receiving an 11-match ban and a ten thousand pound fine.

In January 1999 Di Canio needed a change and he continued south to London. He signed for West Ham United. The Hammers gave the Italian a lifeline, the Italian grabbed it and flourished in East London.

In his first half season he played 13 league games and scored 4 goals and helped West Ham achieve a high league position (5th). He was also the OPTA player of the season.

In his second season he scored the BBC goal of the season, a flying volley, one of the best in Premiership history. He was also voted Hammer of the Year. In December 2000 he redeemed himself in the public eye. In an away game at Everton he shunned a goal scoring opportunity because an opponent was lying seriously injured. Di Canio picked the ball up with his hands and gestured to the player on the ground receiving a standing ovation for his sportsmanship. The following year he was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award.

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to get Di Canio to Manchester United the Roman stayed in London for another year and a half, out of gratitude for West Ham having given him a chance when no-one else would go near him.

In the 2002-03 season however, Di Canio fell out with manager Glenn Roeder and West Ham were languishing at the bottom of the table. Di Canio returned at the end of the season (Roeder had health issues and was replaced by club hero Trevor Brooking) and scored a winner against Chelsea but could ultimately not avoid the Hammers getting relegated.

He was released on a free transfer and moved just down the road to south-east London. At West Ham he played 118 league games (47 goals), 13 in domestic cups (3 goals) and 10 in Europe. He was immensely popular at Upton Park and is considered one of West Ham's greats.

In 2003-04 he signed for Charlton Athletic. He stayed one season at The Valley and the Addicks finished 7th, their highest position since the 1950s. He continued to be a provider of goals and also scored 4 himself but all from the penalty spot (one 'Panenka' style against Arsenal). He made 31 league appearances for the Red Robins plus 1 in the FA Cup and 1 in the League Cup (1 goal). In 2004 however, destiny called.

In the summer of 2004 despite having signed an extension to his contract at The Valley Di Canio had the chance to make a romantic end of career return to his boyhood team Lazio. It was an opportunity he could not miss and taking a massive pay cut he was back with the Biancocelesti. The fans were ecstatic to have a local Lazio supporter in the team, especially after the traumatic departure of Alessandro Nesta in 2002.

Lazio were recovering from financial difficulties and were economically stretched. The new president Lotito had bought nine players on the last day of the market, some of them unknown. Di Canio alongside Tommaso Rocchi added some much-needed quality to a struggling team.

In his first year back, he played 23 league games (6 goals), 1 in Coppa Italia and 5 in Europe (1 goal). He performed well, still showing the class he was renowned for. The peak of his year and Lazio’s came again in the city derby.

Lazio were in huge trouble in the league, had just replaced their manager (Papadopulo took over from Caso) and were also missing their two central defenders (Couto and Siviglia). Things were not looking good against a clearly superior Roma side. But Di Canio did it again 16 years later.

Again, in January, this time on the 6th, Di Canio stunned Roma. The Roma fans had been taunting him all season about his age, how he was finished and how he had left Lazio while Totti (their local boy idol) had stayed (lavishly paid of course)

In the 29th minute Di Canio latched on to a high Liverani through ball over the Roma defence and getting between two defenders he hammered in a mid-height volley past Pelizzoli. Sixteen years later Di Canio was again celebrating in front of the Curva Sud. This time with even more passion but despite all the ensuing polemic, no vulgarity (unlike some of Totti's T-shirt celebrations).

Di Canio had a great game and Lazio went on to triumph 3-1. In the 90th minute he was replaced by Simone Inzaghi. The stadium almost came down, a standing ovation from one end and insults and anger from the other. Leaving the field (after more 'divergences of opinion' with various opposition players, Dellas in particular) Di Canio still had some more theatrics up his sleeve for the shell-shocked Roma fans. In response to the pre-derby comments he first gestured the number 3 with his fingers (no need to explain that one), he then pretended to walk like a groggy old man and finally pointed to the bald patch on his head. "I might be 34 but I've done it again, I'm your eternal nightmare".

In his second season Di Canio also played regularly with 27 league appearances (5 goals), 1 game in Coppa Italia and 4 in Europe (2 goals). He was however starting to embarrass the club and many Lazio fans with his political gestures.

Known for his right-wing political views and admiration for Benito Mussolini (but he claims to reject racism), Di Canio twice made the Roman Salute gesture to the Curva Nord (where the organized group of fans, the Irriducibili at the time, had similar political tendencies). The gesture may have pleased a minority but it displeased the majority of Lazio fans, sick and tired of being associated with fascism. He was fined and suspended for a match and the club too were not happy with the negative backlash of his behaviour. At the end of the season after further contrasts with President Lotito, Di Canio left Lazio. His second spell had been successful on the pitch but marred by too much unnecessary political controversy. He had played another 50 games and scored 11 goals.

In 2006 Di Canio then joined local Roman team Cisco Roma in C2. He played until March 2008 when due to persistent injuries he decided to retire. His last ever match was fitting, he scored two goals but was sent off for insulting the referee. He made 46 appearances and scored 14 goals.

At International level Di Canio played 9 matches for Italy U21s scoring 2 goals. He won a bronze medal at the 1990 U21 European Championship.

After retiring he got into beach soccer playing for the Italian national team (not surprising with his acrobatic skills).

He then tried management in England. He took over at Swindon Town in May 2011 and won promotion to League One the following year. He then resigned halfway through the next season after clashes with the owners.

In March 2013 he became manager of Sunderland (with initial local scepticism due to his alleged political views). He managed to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League but was sacked after the five games of the following season.

Di Canio then turned to punditry. He worked for Mediaset Premium, Fox Sports and now Sky. He has his own program" Di Canio Premier Show". He is knowledgeable, well spoken, direct and well liked as the "English Expert".

Di Canio played 616 professional games in his career and scored 148 goals. He was an attacking midfielder or winger. He was extremely talented and creative with excellent dribbling skills. He was a quick thinking and intelligent player and exciting to watch. His goals were often spectacular, confirming his acrobatic skills. A defect was his fiery temperament which let him down several times over his career.

At Lazio he is a legend. Despite only playing 124 games (20 goals) over two spells, he is considered a Lazio hero. A local fan who always wore his heart on his sleeve when playing for the Biancocelesti and defended them on and off the field. Many Lazio fans (myself included) tended to turn a blind eye on his political antics and just tried to appreciate him as a player and character (which he certainly is, take him or leave him). His two goals in city derbies, sixteen years between them, are legendary folklore on the Biancoceleste side of Rome.

Lazio Career

Season	Total games (goals)	Serie A	Coppa Italia	UEFA Cup	Intertoto Cup	Super Coppa
1988-89	37 (2)	30 (1)	7 (1)	-	-	-
1989-90	26 (4)	24 (3)	2 (1)	-	-	-
2004-05	30 (7)	23 (6)	1	5 (1)	-	1
2005-06	32 (7)	27 (5)	1	-	4 (2)	-
Total	125 (20)	104 (15)	11 (2)	5 (1)	4 (2)	1