Fantoni IV arrives, plays and scores
Thanks to a goal by debutant Fantoni IV, the Biancocelesti manage to beat Modena
Also on this day: September 28, 1980: Lazio Catania 4-0. Lazio win their first game of the season thrashing Catania. Player of the day: Raoul Albani
The season so far
The previous season had been disappointing and Lazio arrived only 10th so, for the 1947-48 season, fans hoped for a better year. Toni Cargnelli was confirmed manager and the most important new arrivals were Flavio Cecconi from Venezia and Sergio Piacentini from Sampdoria plus Brazilian Orlando Fantoni. Leaving the capital were Luigi Cassano and Henglebert Koenig to Sampdoria, Bruno Ispiro and Antonio Sessa to Triestina, plus Edoardo Valenti to Perugia. In the autumn transfer window, Leandro Remondini from Modena and Romano Penzo were added.
In the first two games of the season the Biancocelesti had lost 2-1 at home to Milan and 2-0 away to Salernitana. Not a very good start.
The match: Sunday, September 28, 1947, Stadio Nazionale, Rome
Modena attacked right from the beginning and had numerous chances to score. In the 12th minute following an Ermando Maliverni cross, Sergio Bertoni I hit the woodwork. Lazio, without Constantino De Andreis and Enrique Flamini, played with their new signing Fantoni IV who took some time to adapt to the new circumstances. But right when it looked as if the Biancocelesti were about to collapse, they scored. In the 28th minute Aldo Puccinelli took a corner, the ball went into the box and there was a scramble which was solved by Fantoni IV. Lazio 1 Modena 0.
In the 33rd minute Salvatore Gualtieri saved a header by Francesco Pernigo on the line. Then, as the match progressed Lazio started to be more organised and Romano Penzo missed a couple of easy chances.
The result was never in doubt and despite Lazio not being particularly brilliant, at least they were effective. Fantoni IV played a good game, he will be useful during the course of the season.
Who played for Lazio
Gradella, Remondini, Antonazzi, Brunetti, Gualtieri, Ferri, Puccinelli, Fantoni IV, Penzo, Magrini Lombardini
Manager: Cargnelli
Who played for Modena
Corghi, Silvestri, Braglia, Malinverni, Neri, Menegotti, Milani, Cassani, Pernigo, Bertoni, Del Medico
Manager: Mazzoni
Referee: Canavesio
Goals: 28’ Fantoni IV
What happened next
At home Lazio were a force to be reckoned with, but away from home their performances were pretty dismal. After the first half of the season Lazio were 13th with 17 points, just two points off the relegation zone. Cargnelli was sacked and replaced with Orlando Tognotti.
The new manager was able to improve things. Lazio continued to be disappointing away from home, just one game won … against Roma, but at home they beat Inter and Bologna plus a great 5-0 win against Fiorentina. Lazio finished 10th with 39 points. One could not really ask for more especially since with 12 away losses out of 20 there was not much room to earn more points.
Romolo Alzani was the player with most appearances (38), Romano Penzo scored the most goals (17).
Lazio 1947-48
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 40 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 54 |
Top five appearances
Player | Serie A |
Alzani | 38 |
Remondini | 35 |
Gradella | 34 |
Puccinelli | 34 |
Penzo | 33 |
Top 5 goal scorers
Player | Goals |
Penzo | 17 |
Remondini | 6 |
Puccinelli | 6 |
De Andreis | 6 |
Magrini | 5 |
Cecconi | 5 |
Let’s talk about Alessandro Ferri
Alessandro Ferri was born in Rome on February 25 1921.
In July 1932, the Lazio manager Karl Strumer organised a draft for the under 14s. This was something unheard of at the time in Italy. The Microbes, as they were called, kids born in 1920 and 1921, trained twice a week, had tactical and behavioural lessons, and started playing and winning around Italy. They became so famous that they were invited to play in Vienna, on June 11, 1933, for a game against Wacker. The match was played in front of a 45,000-crowd gathered to watch the national Wunderteam play against Romania. It was a 40-minute game.
The Microbes managed to draw and with a bit of luck might have even won it. The small little Biancocelesti against the much bigger Austrian youngsters left the stadium with the crowd enthusiastic. For the Italian media it was a triumph and when the kids arrived in Rome they were overwhelmed by fans, relatives and the entire Lazio first team.
Ferri was part of that team.
A week before the derby of January 15, 1939, Ferri was desperately looking for free tickets for the game. He was a bit shy but he plucked up his courage and went to ask President Remo Zenobi, who was certainly not known for being outgoing. “You won’t need any tickets”, he told him, “because you will be playing”. Ferri debuted in the derby and Lazio won at Testaccio for the first time. At the end of the game Fulvio Bernardini, a Roma player then, but formerly a Lazio star in the 1920s, gave him a big hug, recognising that the lad had not allowed him to play as well as he could.
Ferri was a great defender, perhaps one of the best Lazio has ever had. Funny, extrovert and well liked by everybody, he was particularly well known for his memorable practical jokes. He stayed at Lazio eight years appearing 139 times with one goal.
During 1945 he played for Audace Taranto since as a soldier he was stationed there.
In the summer of 1948, he argued with the club over money so he left and signed for Roma. He played two years for the wrong side of the eternal city before finishing his career with Reggina in Serie C from 1950 to 1952.
He died in Rome on June 3 2003.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Centre-South Championship | Coppa Italia |
1938-39 | 7 | 6 | - | 1 |
1939-40 | 5 | 4 | - | 1 |
1940-41 | 17 | 13 | - | 4 |
1941-42 | 23 | 21 | | 2 |
1942-43 | 26 | 24 | - | 2 |
1945-46 | 19 | - | 19 | - |
1946-47 | 19 | 19 | - | - |
1947-48 | 23 (1) | 23 (1) | - | - |
Total | 139 (1) | 110 (1) | 19 | 10 |
Sources
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