September 3, 2006: Lazio -Anderlecht 3-2, Friendly
- Dag Jenkins
- Sep 3
- 9 min read
A win for Giuliano Fiorini
Lazio defeat Anderlecht and honour unforgotten hero
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had finished a positive 6th under Delio Rossi but that all changed at the end of the season due to the Calciopoli scandal for which Lazio were docked 30 points thus losing their UEFA Cup place. Top scorer was Tommaso Rocchi with 17 goals (16 in A).
The season too would start with an eleven-point penalisation (then reduced to three) also for the previous year's Calciopoli scandal.
This about to start was Delio Rossi's second year in charge and the main new players were defender Modibo Diakité (Pescara), defensive midfielders Cristian Ledesma (Lecce) and Massimo Mutarelli (Palermo) plus attacking midfielder Pasquale Foggia (Milan).
Meanwhile, Lazio had lost midfielders Ousmane Dabo (Manchester City), Fabio Liverani (Fiorentina) and above all, charismatic leader Paolo Di Canio (Cisco Roma). One player who was leaving, goalkeeper Samir Handanovič, (Udinese end of loan then Rimini) would later be cause for regret as he went on to become a top keeper (455 games for Inter).
This was Lazio's 12th pre-season friendly. The main ones being Ipswich Town 2-0, Benevento 4-0, Al-Shabab Dubai 3-0 and Espanyol 0-2.
This was the first at the Olimpico and came only two days after the defeat in Barcelona. It was officially the Giuliano Fiorini Memorial, the unforgettable Lazio forward from the mid-1980's who had scored the epic history saving goal against Vicenza in 1987. Giuliano had passed away on August 5 2005 at 47.
Lazio's Serie A campaign would be on September 10 away to Milan.
Lazio were already out of the Coppa Italia. They had defeated Rende 4-0 at home on August 20, Monza away on penalties on August 23 but then fell to Messina 3-4 away after extra time.
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht are the most successful club from Belgium. The previous season "Les Mauve et Blanc" had won their 28th league title, under manager Frank Vercauteren. Top scorer was Mbo Mpenza with 11 league goals.
This season Vercauteren was still on the bench. The main new players were: goalkeeper Davy Schollen (NAC Breda), defender Nicolas Pareja (Argentinos Juniors), midfielders, future Lazio Lucas Biglia (Independiente), Cristian Leiva (Banfield, he would leave for Charleroi on loan in the winter), Moubarak Boussoufa (Gent), Jelle Van Damme (Southampton via Werder Bremen) plus forwards Mohammed Tchité (Standard Liège), Nicolás Frutos (Independiente) and Dieumerci Mbokani (TP Mazembe - on loan).
Leaving were: defenders Lamine Traoré (Gençlerbirligi), Michal Źewlakow (Olympiakos) and Hannu Tihinen (Zürich), midfielders Walter Baseggio (Treviso, he would return on loan in the winter), Vincent Kompany (Hamburger SV), Gabriel N' Galula (Standard Liège), Goran Lovré (Groningen), Christian Wilhelmsson (Nantes), Par Zetterberg (retiring, after 355 games for Anderlecht) plus forward Oleh Yashchuk (Ergotelis).
The Belgian league had already started on July 28. Anderlecht had won four out of four and were top of the league.
A competitive friendly for Lazio against a prestigious and good European side who were already playing competitive football.
The match: Sunday, September 3, 2006, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A crowd of about 10,000 were present at the Olimpico tonight. Giuliano Fiorini's mother was one of them. The anti-Lotito movement did not help the atmosphere and attract fans.
There were some speeches before the game, by former manager Eugenio Fascetti and Fiorini's teammates Angelo Gregucci, Massimo Piscedda, Luca Brunetti and Ernesto Calisti. Fiorini's historic 1987 goal against Vicenza was also shown on the mega screens. Fiorini will always be a legend at Lazio. Actor and Lazio fan Gianni Elsner also read out a poem dedicated to the "bomber".
Lazio were missing their two main forwards, Tommaso Rocchi and Goran Pandev, midfielder Stefano Mauri and were also without recent world cup winners, goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi and defender Massimo Oddo plus injured midfielder Valon Behrami.
Delio Rossi already had his eye on the league debut at the San Siro in a week's time.
Anderlecht were between league games so they too played a mixed side of regulars and second choices. The main absences were: defenders Anthony Vanden Borre, Roland Juhász and Jelle Van Damme, midfielder Ahmed Hassan plus wingers Mbark Boussoufa and Bart Goor. Some other big names were on the bench such as future Lazio, Lucas Biglia.
The game was played at a friendly pace but both teams looked interested.
The "Bruxellois" took the lead in the 15th minute with a well taken free kick by Jonathan Legear, 0-1
It was another freekick fifteen minutes later which gave Lazio the equaliser. It was Cristian Ledesma who beat Jan Van Steenberghe, 1-1.
Only six minutes later the Belgians were in front again. The goal came courtesy of a misunderstanding between Sebastiano Siviglia and Marco Ballotta who then lost the ball and was forced to bring down Serhat Akin for a penalty. Akin himself took it and Ballotta saved but then the Turkish striker did not miss on the rebound, 1-2.
This time the visitors' lead lasted even less. In the 39th minute a long Ledesma pass of about 40 metres found Stephan Makinwa who raced forward and beat the keeper, 2-2 at halftime.
A reasonably entertaining game so far.
The "PaarsWit" made three changes at halftime; they had Moucron away on September 9.
Lazio went ahead for the first time in the 53rd minute. It was defender Manuel Belleri who finished off an Alberto Quadri effort in a crowded area, 3-2.
Anderlecht reacted and went close twice in quick succession. Ballotta pulled off two excellent saves on long range efforts by Sami Allagui and Mbo Mpenza.
From the 67th minute Lazio started making changes too; Lorenzo De Silvestri for Pasquale Foggia, a few minutes later Simone Inzaghi for Quadri and finally Riccardo Bonetto for Makinwa.
"Les Mauve et Blanc" also made one more change taking off goal scorer Legear for Vadis Odinja-Ofoe.
The game slowed down even more and it was only Inzaghi who almost changed the score line again but he was denied by a good block by Van Steenberghe. Final score Lazio 3 Anderlecht 2.
A useful friendly for Lazio and a chance to remember and honour Giuliano Fiorini. The positive notes were Ledesma and Foggia in midfield plus Makinwa had looked like a valid alternative to first choice forwards Rocchi-Pandev. The negative note was the central defensive duo Siviglia-Cribari who were often in difficulty against the quick Belgian players.
Only a week to go now to the league debut. A tough season awaited the Biancocelesti as at the moment they would start at minus eleven points. There was optimism however in a reduction although Lazio's request for 75 million Euros in damages for the exclusion from the UEFA Cup had not gained them any new friends at the FIGC headquarters (Italian Football Federation).
Who played for Lazio
Ballotta, Belleri, Siviglia, Cribari, Zauri, Foggia (67' De Silvestri), Ledesma, Mudingayi, Manfredini, Quadri (71' S. Inzaghi), Makinwa (78' Bonetto)
Manager: D. Rossi
Who played for Anderlecht
Van Steenberghe, Lamah, Deschacht, Vanderhaeghe (46' Pareja), Kage, Legear (67' Odinja), Akin, Allagui (46' Lifongja), Leiva, Mpenza, Mbokani (46' Tchité)
Manager: Vercauteren
Referee: Squillace
Goals: 15' Legear, 29' Ledesma, 35' Akin (pen), 39' Makinwa, 53' Belleri
What happened next
The docking was then reduced to three points and Lazio had an excellent season conquering 3rd place and an unexpected but extremely welcome Champions League Preliminary qualification. The Biancocelesti won 18, drew 11 and lost 9.
A great season, starting from minus three points and with a satisfying 3-0 derby win thrown in as well. Top scorer was Tommaso Rocchi with 19 goals (16 in A).
Lazio would then qualify for the Champions League beating Dinamo Bucharest 4-2 on aggregate.
In the Coppa Italia, Lazio went out in the 3rd round (Messina 3-4 a.e.t).
Anderlecht won the league again and also the Belgian Supercup (Zulte Waregem 3-1). They however lost in the semi-finals of the Belgian Cup (Standard Liège 1-3 on aggregate). In the Champions League they did not go beyond the group stage with 4 draws (Lille and AEK Athens home and away) and 2 defeats (Milan home and away). Top scorer was Mohammed Tchité with 21 total goals while Nicolás Frutos got 20.
The Scudetto was won by Inter for the 15th time. For Serie B football it was Ascoli, Chievo and Messina (the Sicilians have not been seen again while Chievo bounced straight back and stayed another ten years but now play in amateur leagues).
Let's talk about Cristian Ledesma
Cristian Daniel Ledesma was born in Buenos Aires on September 24, 1982. He started playing football in the Boca Juniors youth teams. During an International tour match in Switzerland he was noticed by Lecce sporting director Pantaleo Corvino who immediately signed him in the summer of 2001.
At Lecce he started playing for the Primavera but soon debuted in Serie A. On March 10, 2002, he made his first professional appearance in a defeat to Atalanta. That year the Giallorossi were relegated. During the next season in Serie B he gradually became a regular first team player under Delio Rossi and Lecce were promoted. What followed were two positive seasons where the Salentini managed to avoid relegation without too many problems. However, in 2005-06 they could not. Many players were consequently sold, including Ledesma.
Lazio for quite a number of years had Fabio Liverani as playmaker. He was not a quick player but he could open up defences with perfect passes. In 2005-06 Lazio reached a UEFA Cup qualification but Liverani had decided not to renew his contract and moved on to Fiorentina. The Biancocelesti were therefore looking for a replacement and seeing that Ledesma had played under Delio Rossi at Lecce, he was the obvious choice.
His impact with the big city was difficult and in the first games he did not play well. He was not Liverani, being slightly more defensive, so the team and fans had to get used to the new kid in town. All Ledesma’s difficulties disappeared in a flash on Sunday December 10, 2006 in the 44th minute of the derby. Massimo Mutarelli on the right passed to Tommaso Rocchi, one-two and ball on the wing to Massimo Oddo. The Lazio right back almost lost it but at the last second managed to pass to Ledesma. A surface to air ball left the Argentinian's left foot and flew into the top left-hand corner. A magnificent goal, like the famous goal scored by Franco Nanni back in 1972. Lazio won the game 3-0, and Ledesma became a hero. That year the Biancocelesti qualified for the Champions League preliminary round.
Ledesma became a fundamental piece in Rossi's team culminating in the Coppa Italia win against Sampdoria in 2009. He was also captain and together with Rocchi lifted the cup. He was not however part of the squad that won the Supercoppa in August in Beijing, surprisingly defeating José Mourinho's Inter 2-1.
In the summer of 2009, Ledesma, Goran Pandev and Lorenzo De Silvestri sat down with President Claudio Lotito to talk about contract renewals. All three had disagreements with the president. Pandev wanted to be sold to Inter, Lotito refused so the Macedonian took the club to court. Ledesma also had an offer from Inter so he too tried to get out of his contract. De Silvestri was sold to Fiorentina.
Ledesma did not play for six months. Pandev won his case, the Argentinian did not. When manager Davide Ballardini was sacked following dismal results, new head coach Edy Reja demanded to have carte blanche in choosing players. Ledesma was brought back in and Lazio, not without difficulty, avoided relegation. He then signed a contract extension and all was resolved.
Ledesma was part of the historic team that won the Coppa Italia against Roma in 2013. In the final he suffered an injury and had to be substituted. During the celebrations he hobbled towards Curva Nord to celebrate, helped by historic team manager Maurizio Manzini. In September 2014 he became the all-time tenth player for appearances with Lazio. That year he played less but made a good contribution to the cause helping the Biancocelesti reach 3rd place and a Champions League playoff. In the end he made 318 appearances for Lazio with 14 goals.
During the next four years he played with Santos (4 appearances), Panathinaikos (15), Ternana (19), Lugano (26) and Pro Piacenza (14). At the end of the 2018-19 season he retired.
In 2021 he even played eight-a-side football for Lazio.
Ledesma has one cap for Italy. He played 45 minutes in a friendly against Romania.
After retirement he tried management in lower Lazio regional teams but without a lot of success. In 2022 he coached the Frosinone under 17s, in 2022 the Ascoli under 17s, in 2023 the Ascoli U19s and in 2024 was briefly Ascoli first team coach. He is now back with the Lazio academy.
Cristian Ledesma is a piece of Lazio history and well loved by fans. He will always be remembered for his cracker in the 2006 derby and for the two Coppa Italia triumphs, especially the derby final.
Lazio Career
Season | Total games (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Champions League | Europa League | Super Coppa |
2006-07 | 36 (2) | 33 (2) | 3 | - | - | - |
2007-08 | 43 (3) | 32 (3) | 4 | 7 | - | - |
2008-09 | 41 (3) | 34 (2) | 7 (1) | - | - | - |
2009-10 | 13 | 13 | - | - | - | - |
2010-11 | 36 (1) | 34 (1) | 2 | - | - | - |
2011-12 | 47 (3) | 37 (3) | 2 | - | 8 | - |
2012-13 | 52 (1) | 36 (1) | 5 | - | 11 | - |
2013-14 | 34 | 27 | 1 | - | 5 | 1 |
2014-15 | 16 (1) | 13 | 3 (1) | - | - | - |
Total | 318 (14) | 259 (12) | 27 (2) | 7 | 24 | 1 |
Sources
Comments