This Week In Lazio History: March 10-16 | OneFootball

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

Matches of the Week

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: Sunday, March 14, 1993 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Milan 2-2 Lazio deserved more but a point is a point. 0-2 down they managed to equalise thanks to Gascoigne and Bergodi

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

Match In Focus

Date: Sunday, March 16, 1941 Venue: Stadio PNF, Rome Fixture: Lazio Roma 2-0

The beginning of the season had not been a good one and after 6 games Lazio were second from last. In the next 11 matches they earned just 8 points and were still in 15th place. In the next five the Biancocelesti won two and drew three and were now third from last which would mean survival since only two teams were relegated.

But today there was a big match: the derby

Compared to a couple of months ago, this was a completely different Lazio. With Italo Romagnoli at midfield, Renato Ferrarese as right back and the better physical conditions of Alfredo Monza, Uber Gradella and Luigi Vettraino, the team had played magnificently since being taken over by Dino Canestri. Could they continue the good work today?

The match was immediately uphill as Silvio Piola in the 18th minute in a head-to-head with Mario Acerbi suffered a deep cut (four centimetres) and had to leave the pitch. He came back on in the 29th minute. The Giallorossi should have taken advantage of the situation but did not. In the 22nd minute Michelangelo Pantò tried a shot but Gradella saved marvellously. It was the most spectacular save of the entire game.

Lazio controlled the match but were not dangerous in attack. In those 11 minutes Roma passed the ball among themselves, tried a few crosses, but nothing more. With Piola back on, heavily bandaged, the Biancocelesti became more dangerous even if it was Roma who had the first chance. In the 40th minute, long ball from Ermes Borsetti to Amadeo Amadei, good shot, Gradella parried. A minute later Piola missed a chance but not in the 43rd. Otello Zironi crossed into the box and Piola, despite his new headwear, headed the ball in. Lazio 1 Roma 0.

In the beginning of the second half Guido Masetti was forced to save three Lazio shots from Flamini, Vettraino and Zironi. Roma tried an offensive but just hit the Biancoceleste defensive wall. In the 66th Piola had the chance to double the score but his shot was deflected into corner by Acerbi. In the 75th minute Piola dribbled past a couple of Roma defenders and offered a simple chance to Vettraino but his shot was weak and Masetti saved. Five minutes later, on a high cross, Ferrarese cleared with a bicycle kick. Vettraino raced forward, reached the ball and ran towards the Roma goal. A Giallorosso defender tried to stop him so he passed to Piola. Violent shot, 2-0 for Lazio.

Two minutes later Vettraino had the chance to make it three but missed. Not to worry. Fundamental two points for Lazio who played really well today.

In Memory: Aldo Puccinelli

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.

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