This Week In Lazio History: March 17-23 | OneFootball

This week we celebrate numerous derby wins, a few crushings of Juventus, Nesta’s birthday, and the passing of legend Carlo Parola.

Matches of the Week

Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Juve 2-0, Coppa Italia Final, First Leg Despite a missed penalty by Cesar, two goals by Stefano Fiore put Lazio in a good position in double legged cup final

Date: Sunday, March 18, 2001 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: 2001 Lazio Juventus 4-1 Lazio finally give a demonstration of their power and demolish Juventus thanks to braces from Nedved and Crespo

Date: Sunday, March 18, 1979 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Roma Lazio 1-2 A last second goal by Nicoli gives Lazio a historic victory

Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Roma 3-2 The perfect script for a derby and all fans’ dream as a 92nd minute Behrami goal gives Lazio victory over eternal city rivals

Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 Venue: Stamford Bridge Stadium, London Fixture: Chelsea Lazio 1-2, Champions League Second Group Phase A fantastic Mihajlovic free kick gives Lazio the qualification to the Champions League quarter finals

Match In Focus

Date: Sunday, March 22 1964 Venue: Stadio Comunale, Turin Fixture: Juventus Lazio 0-3

Before the match against Modena at home, Lazio were in a deep crisis, full of problems and just two points above the relegation zone. But they managed to beat the Canarini and draw against Messina and were now 11th, three points above the relegation zone.

But today they had to face Juventus …

Juventus must have thought that this game was going to be easy and they began rather too relaxedly. In the 2nd minute Giancarlo Morrone, completely unmarked on the left, sent a perfect cross into the box and Graziano Landoni beat Roberto Anzolin scoring his first goal in Serie A. A shock start for the Bianconeri who had not expected this. In the 17th minute came their first sign of reaction but Adolfo Gori’s shot was wide.

Ten minutes later Lazio made it two. Vincenzo Gasperi stopped a Juve play and passed to Morrone. Ball to Landoni who crossed for Mario Maraschi. Marvellous volley, Juventus 0 Lazio 2.

Omar Sivori tried to reduce the deficit with a header in the 36th minute but Idilio Cei saved comfortably. He had a little more work to do on a Gianfranco Zigoni attempt a couple of minutes later. In the 41st minute, Maraschi was fouled in the box, but the referee gave a free kick just outside. The Lazio forward did not protest and took the free kick. Goal. But not for the ref who claimed that the Biancoceleste player had taken the free kick before he had whistled. Maraschi picked up the ball but this time did not shoot, he passed it to Morrone who did and now the goal was valid. At the end of the first half Lazio were 3-0 up much to the surprise of the spectators.

In the second half Maraschi in the 52nd minute almost made it four with a long range shot and this was a sign for Juventus that the match was lost. The Bianconeri no longer attacked and Lazio controlled the rest of the game.

Marvellous win for the Biancocelesti. They would win 3-0 again in Turin against Juventus but not until 1995!!!

In Memory: Carlo Parola

Carlo Parola is a legend of Italian football. The image of his bicycle kick has been used by the Panini group as their logo for the Calciatori sticker collection.

Born in Turin on September 20, 1921, he started his career with Dopo Lavoro Fiat (now called Sisport), a team made up of Fiat employees that used to play in the Italian leagues but he soon moved to Juventus. He arrived as centre forward but manager Felice Borel moved him to defence and it is here that he made a name for himself. He played for Juventus from 1939 to 1954 with 334 appearances and 10 goals. He won a Coppa Italia in 1941-42 and the scudetto twice (1949-50 and 1951-52). He played 10 times for the Nazionale and was the only Italian to play the 1947 friendly between Great Britain and Rest of Europe. Despite his team losing 6-1 and scoring an own goal, he stood out positively and several English teams, including Chelsea, tried to sign him.

His last year of active football was with Lazio where he made seven appearances.

Once he stopped playing he stayed in Rome and was assistant to manager Luigi Ferrero in the 1955-56 season. He then became head coach of Anconitana, taking them up to Serie B in 1957-58. In 1959 he was chosen to manage Juventus and stayed for three years, winning the scudetto twice and the Coppa Italia twice. His last year at the club was not so good due to the fact that their star player Giampiero Boniperti had retired, plus the fact that John Charles, legendary Welsh centre forward, was marred with injury. He also had a bad relationship with another star player, Omar Sivori, and the Bianconeri arrived 12th, their worst result ever.

He then went on to manage Prato in 1962, winning promotion to Serie B, then Chieri, Livorno, Napoli, as physical trainer, and Novara with another promotion to Serie B. With the Piedmontese he “discovered” two fundamental players in Italian football: Felice Pulici, who would be one of Lazio’s 1973-74 scudetto heroes, and Renato Zaccarelli who won the scudetto with Torino in 1975-76. Back at Juventus in 1974 he won another scudetto. Despite being substituted by Giovanni Trapattoni, he stayed at the club as a scout.

He died in Turin on March 22, 2000.

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