Victory at last!!!
After quite a number of defeats in pre-season friendlies, Lazio finally manage to win a match
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had arrived fourth qualifying for the preliminary round of the Europa League and missing out on a Champions League qualification by just two points. It had been an excellent season and there was hope that this year the Biancocelesti could finally reach that goal of top tier European football.
Lazio had a new manager. Veteran Edy Reja had decided not to continue and the club had called Vladimir Petkovic, a Swiss national of Bosnian origin, who had achieved good results in his adopted nation. A surprise move, nobody had ever even heard of the man, but typical of Lazio and Sports Director Igli Tare.
The summer transfer window had been concentrated on just two new signings: Brazilian attacking midfielder Ederson on a free transfer and Michael Ciani, big French defender from Bordeaux. Saying goodbye to the capital were Guglielmo Stendaro (contract ended by mutual consent), Javier Garrido (loan with option to buy to Norwich City) and Emiliano Alfaro (same formula, to Al-Wasi).
So far, Lazio had played a number of friendlies, losing almost all of them. Siena, Torino, Galatasaray, Getafe, all defeats. The Biancocelesti had beaten only minor teams. The fans were getting worried.
Today’s friendly was against Malmoe. The Swedish club had been champion 16 times up until then (another six since) and won 14 national cups (plus one since). They were runners-up in the European Cup in 1978-79 beaten by Nottingham Forest and runners-up in the Intercontinental Cup of 1979 where they lost against Olimpia from Paraguay. Malmoe were still playing in the league and were currently second. This meant that they were a lot fitter than the Biancocelesti.
The match: Thursday, August 16, 2012, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Since it was Ferragosto and due to all the defeats in the previous friendlies, the Olimpico was practically empty for this second home pre-season game. All of this was in preparation for Lazio’s Europa League preliminary tie with Slovenian Mura 05, to be played later on in the month.
The few fans watching immediately saw some positives thanks to Stefano Mauri, Cristian Ledesma and Antonio Candreva. The former had a chance in the 12th minute and the latter in the 18th, but both shot wide. After another couple of chances for Hernanes and Eddy Onazi, Lazio scored in the 38th minute. Long pass from Ledesma to Mauri who was fouled in the box by Filip Helander. The spot kick was taken by Hernanes and Lazio went one up. With one minute to go to the end of the first half, the Brazilian saw the Swedish goalkeeper too far out and attempted a lob but Johan Dahlin managed to save.
In the second half Lazio went close to doubling their lead a number of times. In the 53rd minute Mauri to Candreva, big whack, Dahlin sent the ball onto the crossbar. Mauri again missed another chance all alone in front of the goalkeeper before a Mauro Zarate shot in the 74th minute was only slightly too high. Stefan Radu came on, after a long absence due to injury, for the last ten minutes but he immediately lost the ball on the right, Filip Stenström crossed into the box and Dardan Rexhepi beat Albano Bizzarri. However, in the third minute of injury time there was a corner for Lazio. Ledesma crossed in and Libor Kozak headed the ball into the goal for Lazio’s victory.
A good training match and finally a win!!!
Who played for Lazio
Bizzarri, Konko, Dias, Biava, Cavanda (84’ Rozzi), Candreva (78’ Radu), Onazi, Ledesma, Mauri (78’ Kozak), Hernanes, Floccari (63’ Zarate).
Manager: Petkovic
Who played for Malmoe
Dahlin, Concha (63' Stenström), Sudic, Helander, Ricardinho (77' Andersson), Nilsson, Nazari (66' Kroon), Figueiredo, Thern (77' Cibicki), Ranégie (63' Rexhepi), Rantie.
Substitutes: Olsen, Pekalski, Larsson, Konate.
Manager: Norling.
Referee: Calvarese
Goals: 38’ Hernanes (pen), 80’ Rexhepi, 93’ Kozak
What happened next
In the Europa League Lazio did very well. After beating Mura 05 in the playoff in August, Lazio topped their group (Tottenham, Panathinaikos and Maribor the opponents), and later eliminated Borussia Mönchengladbach and Stuttgart. They faced Fenerbahce in the quarterfinals but they lost in Turkey following a horrendous refereeing display and were not able to overcome the deficit in the return match.
Lazio started the campionato very well and by the end of the first half were second. The Champions League looked possible. But in the next 16 games the Biancocelesti won just four times so top tier Europe was not going to be a possibility. Lazio ended up 10th. There was still Europa League qualification hope via the Coppa Italia.
In the fourth round Lazio had beaten Siena in the penalty shootout after Ciani saved the campaign with a last second equaliser and Juan Pablo Carrizo stopped two penalties. Things went smoother in the quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Catania (Radu and a Hernanes double).
In the semi-finals Lazio had to face Juventus. In the first leg in Turin the Biancocelesti managed to draw 1-1 thanks to a number of miracles from goalkeeper Federico Marchetti and another last gasp goal from Stefano Mauri. In the return match, Lazio scored with Alvaro Gonzalez in the beginning of the second half and it looked as if the Biancocelesti had secured the final. But a Radu mistake in the second minute of injury time handed Juventus the equaliser. Extra time was on the cards but a Sergio Floccari header with one minute to go gave Lazio the ticket to the final. A ticket which was then about to be thrown away as Juventus had an open goal chance in the 95th minute but Claudio Marchisio incredibly kicked the ball wide.
The final would be against Roma who had eliminated Inter in the other semi-final. This was the first derby in a final. Whoever won would have their names in the history books. Lazio managed to beat Roma with a legendary goal by Senad Lulic, one of those moments which will never be forgotten.
Lazio 2012-13
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 51 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 3 | 2 | - | 8 |
Europa League | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 25 |
Total | 57 | 29 | 14 | 14 | 84 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League |
Hernanes | 53 | 34 | 5 | 14 |
Ledesma | 52 | 36 | 5 | 11 |
Lulic | 50 | 33 | 5 | 12 |
Candreva | 49 | 35 | 3 | 11 |
Gonzalez | 49 | 34 | 4 | 11 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League |
Klose | 16 | 15 | - | 1 |
Hernanes | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
Floccari | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
Kozak | 10 | - | - | 10 |
Candreva | 7 | 6 | - | 1 |
Let's talk about Albano Bizzarri
Albano Benjamin Bizzarri was born in Etruria, near Cordoba in Argentina, on November 9, 1977. He started his career with Racing Club de Avellaneda for which he played from 1995 to 1999.
In January 1999 he signed for Real Madrid. He was supposed to be the first team goalkeeper for the 1999-00 season but Real then decided to put Ikar Casillas in goal and he ended up on the bench. He did play 5 games in the Champions League group stage and Real went on to win the trophy. The next season he signed with Real Valladolid where he stayed for six years totalling 194 appearances. In 2006-07 he moved to Gimnastic and played the entire season. When the club got relegated he became a free agent and in June 2007 signed for Catania. He was supposed to be the second goalkeeper but in the 2008-09 season manager Walter Zenga promoted him. Catania managed to avoid relegation but he then left the Sicilian team.
In 2009 he signed for Lazio. He was intended to be back up for Fernando Muslera but due to injury he was relegated to third choice behind Tommaso Berni. When Berni left he was back on the bench and was there when Lazio beat Roma on May 26 2013 in the final of the Coppa Italia. In four years, he appeared in 26 games for Lazio, 12 in Serie A, 2 in Coppa Italia and 12 in Europa League. He won a Super Coppa in 2009 (on the bench) and the 2013 Coppa Italia where he played the quarterfinal.
In 2013 he signed with Genoa again as a backup goalkeeper. He played a single game that season, ironically against Lazio. The year after he was with Chievo Verona. He had a good two years in Serie A appearing in 64 games. He became the goalkeeper with the lowest ratio of goals conceded per appearance in the history of the club (0.86).
In 2016 he signed with Pescara as a free agent but the Biancazzurri were relegated at the end of the season. In 2017 he moved to Udine and from the sixth game onwards became the first choice goalkeeper. Udinese managed to stay in Serie A. In 2018 he signed for Foggia in Serie B but after six months he moved to Perugia. He never played for the Grifoni and at the end of the year decided to quit.
Bizzarri now lives in Miami. In a recent interview he stated that “in time I realised that Lazio did not really need me. Reja had made me third goalkeeper because he was afraid that Muslera could suffer the competition. A decision that goes against the nature of football since competition makes you play better. But in Rome I also had some good moments winning trophies and a strong team. I wanted to play more and that is why I left. The year after however Marchetti got injured and Berisha played 30 games!!!” He was not a bad goalkeeper and perhaps he was right. Having Bizzarri as second goalie was a luxury.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League |
2009-10 | 4 | - | - | 4 |
2011-12 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
2012-13 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
Total | 26 | 12 | 2 | 12 |
Sources
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