Roberto Lovati, affectionately known as “Bob”, was born in Cusano Milanino on July 20, 1927. Although originally from the region of Lombardy, Lovati became a legend at Lazio, first as a player, then as a manager and then technical director plus various other jobs, just as long it was for Lazio.
His professional debut came for Pisa in Serie B in 1949. He played 59 games in Tuscany and in 1954 was bought by Lazio who however then loaned him to Torino for a year (he made 33 appearances). In 1955 he returned to Lazio and this time it was to stay. So his playing career at Lazio started in 1955 and he was captain when Lazio won the Italian Cup in 1958, their first historic silverware. He played for the Biancocelesti for six years making 146 appearances (135 in Serie A and 11 in Coppa Italia). He also earned two Italian caps (one unfortunately a 6-1 defeat against the mighty Yugoslavia).
After retiring he went on to coach the goalkeepers but in October 1962, when Carlo Facchin was sacked, Lovati became head coach and was the one who sat on the bench on Sundays. The real manager was Juan Carlos Lorenzo but because he was not Italian, he could not officially be manager or be on the sidelines on match day. Lovati from 1962 to 1967 coached the Lazio youth teams, but was also assistant to the two managers (Umberto Mannocci and Maino Neri) in the 1966-67 season. In February 1968 he took the place of sacked manager Renato Gei, and for the following three seasons he assisted Lorenzo again. In the summer of 1971, after Lorenzo had been sacked and before the arrival of Tommaso Maestrelli, he managed the team that won the Cup of the Alps.
He had a splendid relationship with Maestrelli and was his assistant for all the time the Maestro was manager. Lovati was part of that splendid dream team that won the 1973-74 scudetto.
He came in as manager when Luis Vinicio was sacked in 1978 and stayed until the end of the 1979-80 season. He led Lazio as manager for 106 games. In later life he also worked as a talent scout and as a director, always obviously for Lazio.
He died in Rome on March 30, 2011 at 84.
At Lazio they often joke that Bob did every job under the sun for the club except maybe gardener, and only because he was not asked. He certainly achieved cult status at Lazio and the Academy bears his name.
Appearances for Lazio
Season | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Italo-French Friendship Cup |
1955-56 | 32 | 32 | - | - |
1956-57 | 34 | 34 | - | - |
1957-58 | 30 | 26 | 4 | - |
1958-59 | 30 | 26 | 4 | - |
1959-60 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
1960-61 | 9 | 8 | 1 | - |
Total | 147 | 135 | 11 | 1 |
Sources