We are still the Champions
Lazio defeat Juventus and narrow gap at top
Also on this day:
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had won their historic first Scudetto. Led by manager Tommaso Maestrelli the Biancocelesti had beaten Foggia on May 12 to become Italian champions. The celebrations had gone on all summer in Rome and all over the region.
In the meantime, Italy had taken part in the World Cup in Germany. There had already been some controversy because Lazio as title holders had hoped and expected to have a few more players called up. Instead, only three were included and of those only Giorgio Chinaglia had got playing time. His campaign ended in a black cloud too as he openly criticised the manager Ferruccio Valcareggi's decision to substitute him in the game against Haiti, with eloquent hand gestures as if to brush someone away. The gesture itself was quite tame for modern standards and was not openly rude but clearly lacking respect. In Italy however there was an uproar and Chinaglia was a sort of scapegoat for Italy's fiasco. Lazio, already unpopular for having broken Juventus' dominance, were now whistled everywhere they went in their northern pre-season friendlies due to Chinaglia's antics.
More disappointing was Lazio not being able to represent Italy in the European Cup, due to a one-year ban after the previous year's Lazio vs Ipswich incidents (pitch invasion, brawls etc) in a UEFA Cup tie.
The summer market the squad had gone largely untouched. The main arrival was midfielder Roberto Badiani (Sampdoria) while leaving were midfielders Pierpaolo Manservisi (Mantova) and Ferruccio Mazzola (Sant' Angelo). In the autumn, defender Pietro Ghedin arrived (Fiorentina) while defender Mario Facco (Avellino), midfielders Sergio Borgo (Foggia - on loan) and Fausto Inselvini (Foggia) had left.
The league had started well and Lazio won their first three games. Since then, they had slowed down a bit with 3 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats (derby 0-1 and Inter 1-2 at home). Lazio were currently in 2nd place on 15 points, 3 points behind leaders and today's opponents Juventus.
In August-September there had been the Coppa Italia to play. Lazio were in a group with Atalanta, Genoa, Pescara and Roma. Lazio had drawn two 0-0 away to Atalanta and 2-2 at home to Genoa and lost two, 1-2 away at Pescara and the derby 0-1. Lazio were therefore out of the cup but now it was back to Serie A.
Juventus had finished runners-up to Lazio the previous season and were keen for revenge. The manager was Carlo Parola who replaced Čestmír Vycpálek (Zdeněk Zeman's uncle). The main new players were: defender Gaetano Scirea (Atalanta) and winger Giuseppe "Oscar" Damiani (Vicenza).
Leaving were: defenders (Sandro Salvadore, retiring after 460 games for Juventus) and Giorgio Mastropasqua (Atalanta).
As mentioned, Juventus were top of the table on 18 points. The Bianconeri had won 8 (including Inter 1-0 and Napoli 6-2, both away), drawn 2 (including derby 0-0) and lost 1 (on debut 1-2 in Bologna).
In Coppa Italia the Zebras had qualified for the next group stage to be played in May-June. They had won 4 out of 4 (Varese 4-0, Taranto 4-1 at home and Reggiana 2-0, Avellino 2-1 away).
In Europe in the UEFA Cup, they were through to the quarterfinals to be played against Hamburger SV in March. The Bianconeri had eliminated Vorwärts Frankfurt 5-1, Hibernian 8-2 and Ajax 3-1 all on aggregate.
So far, a positive season for the "Old Lady" who were unbeaten in all competitions in the last ten matches.
Today was a big match. It was only early January but if Juventus won, they would have a five-point advantage plus a huge psychological boost. For Lazio it was a chance to go within a point of the leaders and remind everyone they were still the Champions.
The match: Sunday, January 5, 1974, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A sunny but cold day in the capital. The stadium was sold out with a new record amount for ticket money income, just over 308 million Lire.
Lazio had no injury problems while Juventus were without forward Pietro Anastasi. Lazio chose Roberto Badiani over Franco Nanni in midfield.
Lazio pushed forward in the early stages while Juventus were content to sit deep.
Lazio attacked constantly but wasted several good opportunities. There followed some controversy with both sides dissatisfied with the referee Michelotti. In the 19th minute he waved away what looked like a foul by Luciano Re Cecconi on Oscar Damiani inside the area. In the 20th minute he disallowed a Claudio Gentile own goal for a supposed foul by Renzo Garlaschelli and a minute later ignored a Francesco Morini trip on Giorgio Chinaglia inside the box.
Lazio continued to attack, interrupted only by a José Altafini header in the 41st minute, comfortably saved by Felice Pulici.
A minute later Lazio’s pressure paid off. "Long John" Chinaglia found Pietro Ghedin unmarked and the defender tried his luck, the ball took a deflection off Gaetano Scirea's back and beat Dino Zoff. A lucky goal but deserved. Lazio 1 Juventus 0.
For the second half the Bianconeri replaced Morini, who was feeling unwell, with another defender Silvio Longobucco.
In the 49th minute the referee let Wilson off lightly without a booking for a rough foul on Damiani. The Juventus forward was not treated well by the Lazio defence probably in revenge for his behaviour in the decisive match between Napoli and Lazio two years earlier (Napoli had played as if their lives depended on it, "incentivised" by Juventus and crushing Lazio's title hopes with a last minute Damiani goal handing the Scudetto to the Bianconeri).
The game meanwhile was balanced but Lazio again missed several chances to double the score.
In the 78th minute came a potential game changer. Longobucco intentionally elbowed Garlaschelli in the jaw and the Lazio winger reacted angrily. Michelotti decided to send him off, probably the right decision but the Juventus defender should definitely have been given a direct red card too.
The fact was Lazio had to face the last twelve minutes with ten men. Juventus pushed forward but their only big chance came in the 82nd minute when on a Giuseppe Furino header Pulici pulled off a spectacular save.
In the 84th minute Lazio buttoned up by taking off Vincenzo D'Amico and putting on another defender, Luigi Polentes.
Lazio spent the last minutes in their own half but resisted and clinched the win. Lazio 1 Juventus 0.
It had been an evenly balanced game. Lazio had been better in the first while Juventus had logically attacked more in the second.
At the end of the day however it was the Biancocelesti who earned the hugely satisfying and important victory.
Lazio moved up to within one point of leaders Juventus.
Who played for Lazio
Pulici, Ghedin, Martini, Wilson, Oddi, Badiani, Garlaschelli, Re Cecconi, Chinaglia, Frustalupi, D'Amico (84' Polentes)
Manager: Maestrelli
Who played for Juventus
Zoff, Gentile, Cuccureddu, Furino, Morini (46' Longobucco), Scirea, Damiani, Causio, Altafini, Capello, Bettega
Manager: Parola
Referee: Michelotti
Goal: 42' Scirea (og)
Red Card: 78' Garlaschelli
What happened next
Lazio were consistently 2nd for much of the year but ultimately did not repeat the previous triumphant season despite still challenging for the Scudetto until March. Then a derby defeat and Tommaso Maestrelli having to take a pause due to a diagnosis of cancer definitely ended their hopes. The players with tears in their eyes then crumbled 1-5 at home to Torino. In the end Lazio finished 4th and qualified for the UEFA Cup. For the last five games the "Maestro" was replaced on the bench by Bob Lovati. Top scorer was Giorgio Chinaglia with 14 league goals.
Juventus won their 16th Scudetto. In the remaining 18 games they won 10 (including Lazio 4-0), drew 5 and lost 3 (including derby 2-3). Top scorers were Pietro Anastasi and Oscar Damiani with 9 league goals each.
In the Coppa Italia they went out in the second group stage; winning 4 and losing 2.
In the UEFA Cup they knocked out Hamburger Sv 2-0 on aggregate but then lost in the semi-final to Twente 1-4 on aggregate.
With Juventus Scudetto winners, Fiorentina won the Coppa Italia and Borussia Mönchengladbach the UEFA Cup. No glory for Vicenza, Ternana and Varese who trudged down to Serie B. Ternana and Varese have never been back since.
Let's talk about Gaetano Scirea
Gaetano Scirea was born in Cernusco sul Naviglio (Milan), on May 25, 1953.
From the age of 10 to 14 he played as a forward for Serenissima S. Pio X in Cinisello Balsamo before moving to professional club Atalanta's youth sector. There he started as winger, then moved to midfield and finally, with U19's coach Ilario Castagner, to "libero" (sweeper).
He then made his debut for Atalanta's first team on September 24 1972. In his first season he played 20 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia under Giulio Corsini but the Orobici were relegated on goal difference.
In the following year, first under Corsini and then Heriberto Herrera the Nerazzurri finished 11th. Scirea played 38 league games with 1 goal (Brindisi) and 10 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (winner against Inter).
In 1974 he joined Juventus. He would stay fourteen seasons and become a club legend. He played a total of 554 games (377 in A) and scored 32 goals (24 in A). He won the Scudetto 7 times, the Coppa Italia twice, the European Cup, the UEFA Cup, the Cup Winners Cup, tne UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
His managers were; Carlo Parola (1974-76), Giovanni Trapattoni (1976-86) and Rino Marchesi (1986-88).
He won 78 caps for Italy (10 as captain) and scored 2 goals (Greece, Poland). He was one of the main protagonists in Italy's World Cup triumph in "España 82". He made up the defence with his Juventus teammates Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile and Antonio Cabrini plus Fulvio Collovati.
When he retired at the end of the 1987-88 season, he became assistant manager to Dino Zoff. In early September at the beginning of his second season he went on a trip to Poland to watch Juventus' next opponents Gornik Zabrze. Both he and Zoff were not altogether convinced of this necessity as the Poles were clearly not much of a threat to the Bianconeri. Fact was the directors deemed it useful so Scirea went. On his way back to Warsaw airport, to catch his flight to Turin, the car he was travelling in with a local driver, an interpreter and a Gornik director was involved in an accident. The car caught fire and Scirea died later in hospital from severe burns (also due to the four extra barrels of petrol they were transporting in case of emergency). A huge tragedy and a terrible loss for Italian football.
Scirea is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time. He was a modern player with a great tackle, excellent vision, tactical intelligence and technique, helped by the fact he had started further up field. He was a playmaker from the defensive line and then often followed the move up front (see Italy's second goal in 1982 World Cup final vs Germany as an example). His style was pure elegance in the Franz Beckenbauer mould.
He was also a true gentleman. A quiet, down to earth character off the field he was never involved in any controversy on the field. He was never sent off in his long career, a rarity for a defender. He was a clean and correct player and considered an example of sportsmanship.
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