Good start
Lazio thrash Lugano in the Cup of the Alps in front of new manager Maestrelli.
Also on this day: June 12, 1983, Cavese Lazio 2-2. A hard fought 2-2 draw gives Lazio ticket back to big time. Player of the day: Renato Miele
The season so far
The 1970-71 season had not started well. Deep contrasts between the manager, Juan Carlos Lorenzo and the President, Umberto Lenzini, over the summer transfer window would have deep consequences on the team's performance.
Following a decent 8th place in the 1969-70 season, Lenzini was looking for an improvement and had set eyes on the future Turin goalkeeper Luciano Castellini, but Lorenzo did not agree, preferring Michelangelo Sulfaro. Lorenzo was also unimpressed with Lenzini signing Pierpaolo Manservisi. Other signings included goalkeeper Avelino Moriggi, defender Gaetano Legnaro and midfielder Bruno Chinellato (all from Alessandria) plus the return of Arrigo Dolso from his loan to Monza. Among those leaving were Carlo Soldo (Monza), Gian Piero Ghio (Napoli) and Giancarlo Oddi who was loaned to Massese.
Giorgio Chinaglia did not help the situation by saying that if he was the problem, he would have no issue leaving, perhaps hoping for a transfer during the November window. He obviously stayed.
The feud between the manager and president did not relent for the entire season. Lorenzo was sacked a few times, only to come back following protests by a particularly passionate group of fans loyal to the manager.
In the Coppa Italia Lazio were eliminated, coming second in their group behind Roma. In the Fairs Cup they were drawn against Arsenal and after drawing at home 2-2 they lost 2-0 away and exited the tournament.
After the first half of the season Lazio were last with only nine points. They had won just one game (vs Sampdoria) and had drawn a controversial derby. Things improved a little bit in the second half of the season and after the win in Genoa against Sampdoria the Biancocelesti were potentially one point away from safety. But they needed to beat Fiorentina in the next match and they did not. A draw against Juventus in the next game meant that the last two games, away to Varese and at home to Vicenza were vital. At Varese Lazio were down 2-1 when the referee, Sergio Gonella, who would later referee the World Cup final between Argentina and Holland in 1978, first gave Lazio a penalty, but then changed his mind and gave a free kick to Lazio for a previous foul. The Biancocelesti lost and all hope was on a win in the penultimate match against Vicenza at home. Lazio lost that game too and were relegated.
A shock relegation, but in the end, it was a blessing. Lenzini was finally able to kick Lorenzo out and call in Tommaso Maestrelli.
At the end of the season Lazio had to play the Cup of the Alps. This was a tournament that was jointly organised by the Italian and Swiss football federations and ran from 1960 to 1987. Only Italian and Swiss teams played until 1966, but from 1967 until 1969 they were also joined by West German clubs (and in 1969 also by a Belgian team). Back to the original formula in 1970, from 1972 to 1987 only French and Swiss teams played.
The formula was a little bit complicated. Four Italian clubs (Lazio, Verona, Sampdoria and Varese), four Swiss (Lugano, Lausanne Sports, Winterthur and FC Basel), divided into two groups. Within the group each team played the two clubs of the other country twice, but did not play compatriots. The best Italian and the best Swiss then played in the final.
Lazio were grouped with Sampdoria, Lugano and Winterthur. First game at home against Lugano. Bob Lovati was the manager for this tournament.
The match: Saturday, June 12, 1971, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Lazio had something to prove particularly since the new manager was in the stands watching. Lugano however on paper were a good team. They were currently second in the Swiss league with a few players of international level.
It did not take long for the Biancocelesti to start to take over the match and in the 12th minute they scored. Pino Wilson reached the edge of the box and crossed, Giorgio Chinaglia headed the ball towards Pierpaolo Manservisi who beat Mario Prosperi. Despite numerous opportunities to double the score with Chinaglia, Giuseppe Massa and Ferruccio Mazzola II, the first half ended 1-0.
In the 46th minute Giuliano Fortunato tried a shot from outside the box, the goalkeeper parried but Chinaglia scored on the rebound. In the 75th minute Manservisi tried a shot, it deflected off Adriano Coduri and beat Proposeri for the third time. Five minutes later there was a free kick for Lazio. Chinaglia tried a shot, it hit the Lugano wall and went back to the Biancoceleste centre-forward who with a volley made it four.
Good start to the tournament, Maestrelli must have been pleased with what he saw.
Who played for Lazio
Di Vincenzo, Wilson, Legnaro, Nanni, Polentes, Marchesi, Manservisi, Massa (75’ Chinellato), Chinaglia, Mazzola II, Fortunato
Manager: Lovati
Who played for Lugano
Prosperi, Riehn, Berset, Dolmen, Pullica, Coduri, Tippelt, Hansen, Scacchi (57' Roth), Luttrop, Arrigoni.
Manager: Sing
Referee: Gattei
Goals: 12’ Manservisi, 46’ Chinaglia, 75’ Coduri (og), 81’ Chinaglia
What happened next
Lazio with three wins and a draw reached the final where they beat FC Basel and won the cup. A prestigious victory for the Biancocelesti, a decent end to a very poor season.
Giorgio Chinaglia topped this season’s appearances (40) and was the top scorer with 22 goals.
Lazio 1970-71
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 30 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 43 |
Coppa Italia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Fairs Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Cup of the Alps | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
Total | 40 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 56 |
Top Five Appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Fairs Cup | Cup of the Alps |
Chinaglia | 40 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Massa | 38 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Wilson | 36 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Dolso | 32 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Governato | 32 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Mazzola II | 32 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Top Five Goal Scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Fairs Cup | Cup of the Alps |
Chinaglia | 22 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
Massa | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Dolso | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Mazzola II | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Facco | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Let’s talk about Bruno Chinellato
Bruno Chinellato was born in Mestre on November 1, 1946. He started playing for Mestre in Serie C and after three seasons signed for Alessandria again in the third tier. In 1970 he signed for Lazio. He was a backup midfielder and as a consequence did not play very much with the first eleven (just 6 league appearances, with one goal, plus four in the Cup of the Alps), but he did play quite a lot in the De Martino Championship with the reserves. Lazio won the competition, beating Milan in the final. The Biancocelesti also won the Cup of the Alps even though in Serie A they did not do well, ending up relegated to Serie B.
In 1971-72 he was loaned to Lecco in Serie C where he played well with 38 appearances and 10 goals. At the end of the season, he was sold to Como in Serie B. His stay in the second tier ended a year later when he moved to Salernitana in Serie C. After two years he left for Grosseto, again in the third tier. After two years in Tuscany, he signed with Giulianova and ended his career with Sorrento in Serie C2 from 1978 to 1980.
Once he stopped playing, he became a manager with minor teams in the Grosseto area. In 1984 he was chosen as head coach for Grosseto but stayed just a year.
He died on September 4, 2008, in Massa Carrara.
Despite not playing much, at Lazio he at least managed to win two trophies, so his name is in the history books.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Cup of the Alps |
1970-71 | 10 (1) | 6 (1) | 4 |
Sources
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