This Week In Lazio History: March 9-15

This week we remember a fundamental win for Lazio’s first scudetto, a draw with Milan, good European results, and the passing of a legend, Aldo Puccinelli.

Date: Sunday, March 10, 1974
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fixture: Lazio Cesena 2-0
Despite missing vital players, Lazio easily beat Cesena with goals from Chinaglia and Nanni in the first half. 

Date: Sunday, March 11, 1973
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fixture: Lazio Roma 2-0
Lazio win second league derby thanks to Garlaschelli and an own goal

Date: Thursday, March 13, 2003
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fixture: Lazio Beşiktaş 1-0, UEFA Cup
A second half goal by Simone Inzaghi breaches Turkish bunker but leaves qualification to the UEFA Cup semi final in the balance.

Date: Thursday, March 14, 2013
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fixture: Lazio Stuttgart 3-0, Europa League
A Kozak hat trick gives Lazio the quarter finals of the Europa League

Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2001
Venue: Elland Road Stadium, Leeds
Fixture: Leeds Lazio 3-3, Champions League
Both teams had weakened sides but it turned out to be a six-goal, entertaining game. Mihajlovic with a brace and Ravanelli, the scorers for the Biancocelesti

Date: Sunday, March 14, 1993
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Fixture: Lazio Milan 2-2

There was a lot of expectation especially since the unbeatable Rossoneri had lost against Roma in Coppa Italia just a few days earlier. A win was possible.

In the first minute Diego Fuser crossed from the right, Beppe Signori tried a volley which was too wide. Another Signori shot in the 7th minute was saved by Sebastiano Rossi. Then in the 10th Milan went ahead. Jean-Pierre Papin from 30 meters gave the ball a massive whack which ended in the top left hand corner. After attempts from Signori and Paul Gascoigne, all very well saved by Rossi, Milan made it two in the 38th minute. Zvonimir Boban tried a long pass to Daniele Massaro in the box, the ball hit the back of Aron Winter’s head catching Nando Orsi unawares. 2-0 for Milan, completely against the run of play.

A minute later Lazio reduced the deficit. Fuser to Roberto Bacci on the right, cross in the middle and Gazza scored.

In the second half Lazio attacked as if there was no tomorrow, Milan was unable to complete two passes in a row. In the 46th minute Gazza dribbled past half of the Rossoneri but his shot was weak. In the 79th a Signori attempt was marvellously saved by Rossi.

The Biancocelesti continued to press and in the 86th minute the finally managed to break down the Milan defence. Giovanni Stroppa from the left sent a good cross into the box and Cristiano Bergodi headed the ball in. Lazio deserved more but a point is a point , especially against Milan.

Aldo Puccinelli was one of the strongest wingers in Lazio’s history. He is the all time second player for number of league appearances for the Biancocelesti, preceded only by Stefan Radu. He played 350 games for Lazio (319 in Serie A, 20 in the Central and Southern Serie A-B Championship, 5 in the latter’s postseason, 3 in Coppa Italia, 2 in the Mitropa Cup and 1 in the Latin Cup) and scored 78 goals (75 in Serie A, 2 in the Central and Southern Serie A-B Championship, 2 in the postseason and one in Coppa Italia).

Born in Bientina on Christmas Day of 1920, he started playing football for Pontedera in 1940 in Serie C. He signed for Lazio in 1940. Small, tough and fast, it was his first time in a big city and he did not play much in his first season. But Alexander Popovic, Lazio manager in the 1941-42 season, thought very highly of him and he was promoted to the first team.

His first spell at Lazio lasted until the outbreak of World War II when he left to be closer to his family. In Tuscany he played for Massese and Santacroce. He returned to Lazio in 1945 and stayed for another 10 seasons. He was a leading figure in the Lazio squad, used as left winger but more often on the right. He was part of the team that achieved fourth place three consecutive times between 1949-50 and 1951-52, and was skipper for a number of matches.

He was only 156 centimetres tall and weighed 56 kilos. A featherweight compared to today’s footballers. But he was physically strong and terribly fast, it was very difficult to take the ball off him. He was a leader, an ideal partner for Silvio Piola. He played 20 derbies, fourth Lazio player with most appearances against Roma behind Pino Wilson, Beppe Favalli and Paolo Negro.

He left Lazio in 1955 and played his last couple of professional years with Livorno. He later became manager for many Tuscan teams (Cascina, Siena, Empoli, Viareggio, Livorno and Cuoiopelli) though never in Serie A.

He died in Livorno on March 11 1994.

Aldo Puccinelli was a little giant, forever to be remembered in Lazio’s history.

• Abdoulay Konko, 9/3/1984, defender, France, 126 appearances, 1 goal (2011-16)
• Ciro Muro, 9/3/1964, midfielder, Italy, 72 appearances, 4 goals (1987-89)
• Pedro Neto, 9/3/2000, forward, Portugal, 5 appearances (2017-19)
• Juan Sebastian Veron, 9/3/1975, midfielder, Argentina, 79 appearances, 14 goals (1999-01)
• Edoardo Valenti, 10/3/1922, defender, Italy, 60 appearances (1942-47)
• Alberto Fontanesi, 10/3/1929, forward, Italy, 44 appearances, 10 goals (1953-55)
• Sergio Domini, 11/3/1961, midfielder, Italy, 22 appearances (1990-91)
• Giampiero Pinzi, 11/3/1981, midfielder, Italy, 4 appearances (1999-00)
• Pietro Cappa, 13/3/1903, midfielder, Italy, 19 appearances, 2 goals (1927-28)
• Giacomo Blason, 14/3/1914, goalkeeper, Italy, 162 appearances (1934-39)
• Mark Fish, 14/3/1974, defender, South Africa, 17 appearances, 1 goal (1996-97)
• Bruno Mazzia, 14/3/1961, midfielder, Italy, 25 appearances (1963-64)
• Massimo Piscedda, 14/3/1961, defender, Italy, 120 appearances, 2 goals (1983-90)
• Fernando Viola, 14/3/1951, midfielder, Italy, 141 appearances, 12 goals (1976-81)
• Javier Garrido, 15/3/1985, defender, Spain, 23 appearances, 1 goal (2010-12)

This Article Was Written by Dag Jenkins & Simon Basten from Lazio Stories. More Information on the Above Matches and Players can be found on LazioStories.com.