Cava, champagne, bubbly, you name it, Lazio in Serie A!!!
A hard fought 2-2 draw gives Lazio ticket back to big time
Also on this day: June 12, 1971, Lazio Lugano 4-0, Cup of the Alps. Lazio thrash Lugano in the Cup of the Alps in front of new manager Maestrelli. Player of the day: Bruno Chinellato
The season so far
Lazio in their third consecutive year in Serie B, after the betting scandal and relegation of 1979-80, had renewed ambitions this year. The previous season had been a depressingly mediocre 11th place but with the return of striker Bruno Giordano and midfielder Lionello Manfredonia (after the world Cup win armistice) they could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.
The main players who had joined Lazio were keeper Fernando Orsi (Parma), defenders Renato Miele (Catania), Gabriele Podavini (Brescia) and Marco Saltarelli (Lodigiani), midfielders Enrico Vella (Catania) and Roberto Tavola (Juventus) plus forward Claudio Ambu (Perugia).
Players to leave were the scudetto legends of 1974, keeper Felice Pulici and attacking winger Renzo Garlaschelli plus defenders Giorgio Mastropasqua (Catania), Dario Pighin (Taranto), midfielders Alberto Bigon (Vicenza), Dario Sanguin (Perugia), Fernando Viola (Genoa) and forwards Lorenzo Marronaro (Monza) and Walter Speggiorin (Massese).
This reshuffling of the squad plus the return of clearly superior level players such as Giordano and Manfredonia, added to the talent of fan favourite Vincenzo D'Amico, gave the whole Lazio environment renewed enthusiasm and optimism.
Roberto Clagluna, who had taken over from Ilario Castagner half way through the previous season, had been confirmed. After a slow start (3 draws) Lazio had started winning games (7 consecutive between 7th and 13th fixture). After the first half of the season they were top of the table.
The second part of the fixture list saw Lazio slow down. From January 30 to May 8th, Lazio only won twice (Cremonese, Bari), with 8 draws and 4 defeats (Campobasso, Monza, Pistoiese, Varese). After the 3-3 home draw against Reggiana on May 8, Clagluna was sacked and in came former player Giancarlo "El Gaucho" Morrone.
His first match was a 5-1 away defeat to Milan. To make things worse Roma the same day won the Scudetto and the town was painted red and yellow.
Then luckily Lazio picked up and in a crucial game beat Atalanta 2-1 at home and then earned an away point at Arezzo. A week before today's game, Lazio had won the possibly decisive six-pointer promotion clash against Catania 2-1.
Coming into this afternoon's final game the league table read: Milan 51, Lazio 45, Cremonese 44, Catania 43, Como 43. So, four teams for two places in paradise.
Luckily today's opposition Cavese had been cut out of the race a week earlier and were still on 41 points. They had been the positive surprise of the season. The manager of the "Aquilotti" was Pietro Santin and they had an excellent season. The “Metelliani Blufoncé” (The dark blues) had won 12 (including Milan away), drawn 18 (including Lazio) and lost 8. I saw every Lazio home game that year and Cavese was the team that impressed me most (Lazio drew 1-1 with an 82nd minute Vella equaliser). Cavese's top scorer was Costante Tivelli with 11 league goals.
So Lazio needed a point today to clinch promotion. It would be no formality as Cavese were a good team and unbeaten so far at home where they had only conceded 8 goals. But luckily Lazio only needed a draw…
The match: Sunday, June 12, 1983, Stadio Comunale, Cava de' Tirreni
So it was all down to the last match on a windy June afternoon in Cava de' Tirreni which, unlike the name would indicate, is not on the sea. Lazio were not interested in the beach anyway, they wanted a point from today's last football game of the season. The 7,000 travelling fans thought Ostia beach could wait another week too.
They made their intentions clear from the start and attacked furiously. After four minutes Giordano had a seemingly regular goal disallowed for a previous foul in midfield. After eight minutes however Lazio were ahead. Renato Miele, who had scored two own goals this season, finally chose the right net and his low diving header from a corner put the Biancocelesti in front. Cavese 0 Lazio 1.
Five minutes later the Romans almost scored again. A brilliant move by D' Amico saw him beat a defender, go round the keeper and chip the ball across to Giordano, but the "Trasteverino's" shot bounced up and hit the crossbar.
In the 20th minute Giordano tried again but after dribbling his marker he shot at the keeper.
The home side then had a chance with Infante, on his debut, but his shot was weak and easily blocked low by Orsi.
This was followed by a superb play by Giordano who lobbed his defender and let off a cracking left foot, which was heading for the top corner, but was acrobatically saved by Paleari.
Cavese were not merely bystanders and in the 33rd minute hit the crossbar with Tivelli. Then in the 37th minute the Campania "Eagles" equalised. Cavese had a corner and the ball was tapped to Antonio Magliocca who got in a high cross which was headed in by Di Michele. Cavese 1 Lazio 1.
At half time the teams were still level. Lazio were on top and should have scored more goals. Things were still under control but Lazio had to be careful against a relaxed home side out to enjoy themselves and celebrate their season.
In the second half Cavese put on Luigi Caffarelli, who was supposed to return to his mother club Napoli the next season, but it was Lazio who continued to push harder. The Cavese keeper had an excursion out of his area and lost the ball but D'Amico could not lift his shot enough and a defender blocked the ball from going into the unguarded net.
Lazio were keen to wrap things up and in the 72nd minute Giordano had a shot blocked by Giuseppe Guerini near the line with the keeper beaten.
The goal came three minutes later from a surprising source. Young Lazio boy Giancarlo Marini went straight through the home defence and beat Paleari with a low left foot, brilliant goal. Cavese 1 Lazio 2. Was that it, Lazio to see out the last fifteen minutes with ball possession? No, far from it.
Cavese had no intention of losing their unbeaten home record. In the 80th minute a Pavone shot was parried by Orsi and then Tivelli hammered it high from the favourable rebound.
In the 85th minute Cavese were awarded a penalty for a foul by Carlo Perrone on Tivelli. The local fans were so happy they invaded the pitch. It was a peaceful action and in good spirits but it took at least another five minutes to clear the playing field.
Finally the game restarted and Tivelli picked up the ball and beat Orsi. 2-2 with four minutes to go. A tense few minutes awaited the Lazio faithful.
As it was, Lazio kept possession and tapped the ball around (the famous Italian "melina") waiting for the final whistle. Luckily Cavese too at this stage seemed to be satisfied with a draw and did not exert themselves particularly. The welcome whistle finally came, Lazio were back in Serie A!! This time it was the Lazio fans who ran onto the pitch to celebrate.
After three difficult years in Serie B Lazio were back in the big time. The Biancocelesti side of town took to the streets of Rome to celebrate and gathered at Piazza del Popolo. It was not a Scudetto but it almost felt like it. Top scorer was Bruno Giordano with 21 goals (18 in league).
It had not been an easy ride and Lazio's second part of the season was not as positive as the first but they had enough talent to get them over the line and win promotion with a 2nd place finish on 46 points, behind Milan but one point more than a trio on 45.
Despite Roma's triumph things were looking up especially with the confirmed return of Giorgio "Long John" Chinaglia from the States as new President. He promised Lazio fans would never have to suffer as much as before and in a way it was true ... they would suffer more.
Who played for Cavese
Paleari, Cupini, Magliocca, Infante, Guerini, Mari (65' Scarpa), Puzone (46' Caffarelli), Bilardi, Di Michele, Pavone, Tivelli
Substitutes: Assante, Rispoli, Gregorio
Manager: Santin
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Podavini, Spinozzi, Vella, Miele, Perrone, Marini, Manfredonia, Giordano, D'Amico (88' Sciarpa), Badiani
Substitutes: Moscatelli, Saltarelli, Tavola, Chiodi
Manager: Morrone
Referee: Agnolin
Goals: 8' Miele, 37' Di Michele, 75' Marini, 86' Tivelli (pen)
What happened next
Chinaglia arrived with talk of bringing big American partners to invest in Lazio. They never materialised and two years later "Long John" was gone and Lazio were back in Serie B, but that was still a way off at the moment.
The present, despite Roma's Scudetto, was full of euphoria. The battle cry of Giorgione had returned and Lazio were back in the elite, a perfect summer (with sunglasses to avoid the red and yellow paint everywhere…).
As for Cavese they finished a positive 6th. Their top scorer was Tivelli with 12 league goals. Today's full back Angelo Cupini impressed enough to be signed by Lazio in the summer while Caffarelli went back to Napoli and later won a Scudetto alongside Diego Armando Maradona in 1987. Cavese however would never again reach this season's heights and were relegated to C1 the following year.
The third club to win promotion were Catania after a three-team playoff in Rome with Cremonese and Como.
Lazio 1982-83
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie B | 38 | 14 | 18 | 6 | 44 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Total | 43 | 16 | 19 | 8 | 52 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Giordano | 43 | 38 | 5 |
Vella | 42 | 38 | 4 |
Podavini | 39 | 34 | 5 |
D'Amico | 38 | 34 | 4 |
Manfredonia | 38 | 36 | 2 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Giordano | 21 | 18 | 3 |
Vella | 5 | 5 | - |
D'Amico | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Manfredonia | 4 | 4 | - |
Ambu | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Let's talk about Renato Miele
Renato Miele was born in Rome, on October 25, 1957.
He grew up in the Lazio youth sector. In 1977 he joined the first team squad but did not get his debut.
In 1977-78 he went to Brindisi in Serie C. He played 28 games for the "Gateway to the East" Blues.
In 1978-79 he moved to Pisa in Serie C. The Nerazzurri won promotion and Miele stayed on for another year in Serie B. He played 58 league games for the Pisani.
In 1980-81 he spent a year in Ferrara at SPAL in Serie B. Miele played 25 league games with 1 goal (Catania). The Spallini came 12th and reached the quarter final of the Coppa Italia.
In 1981 he travelled to Sicily and joined Catania in Serie B. Under manager Giorgio Michelotti the "Elefanti" finished 9th and Miele played 33 league games with 1 goal (Pistoiese).
In 1982-83 he came back to Lazio. The Biancocelesti had been in Serie B for two years but, with the return of Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia (after betting scandal of 1980), had serious Serie A ambitions. They were successful, first under Roberto Claguna (1-33) and then Juan Carlos Morrone (34-38). Miele played 31 league games with 1 goal (Cavese). He made his debut in the fourth fixture, an away win at Sambenedettese, and practically kept his place throughout the season. He made a good contribution to Lazio’s promotion and even scored in the last decisive draw at Cavese (a diving header putting Lazio one up).
The following year in Serie A he played less but still got 16 league games and 1 in Coppa Italia. Lazio, first under Morrone (1-12) and then Paolo Carosi (13-30) managed to avoid relegation in the last game of the season with another 2-2 draw, this time at Pisa.
In 1984-85 season was a disaster for Lazio. They changed manager twice; from Carosi (1-2) to Juan Carlos Lorenzo (3-20) and then Lovati/Oddi (21-30). Lazio finished 15th and were relegated. Miele was not involved as he made no appearances.
In 1986-87 he went to Triestina in Serie B. Under manager Enzo Ferrari, the "Alabardati" finished 11th (they had started at -4 due to the Totonero scandal punishment). Miele however only played 3 league games.
By now he was more concentrated on his legal career. He had got his law degree while still at Lazio. He is from a family of lawyers and his grandfather was a magistrate.
Miele is now a respected and well-known lawyer in Rome. He was involved in the Ustica case (In 1980 an Itavia Bologna -Palermo passenger plane was shot down killing all 81 on board) and has also defended football players in the Gea and Calciopoli cases.
He still appears on local TV sports programs about Lazio and can be heard on the radio discussing Lazio’s progress.
For some years he also coached youth teams at local level. Between 2009 and 2013 he put his boots back on and was involved with Petriana and Vigor Mellis.
As a player Miele was a classic man-to-man marking central defender. He is 1.80 for 74 kilos and was a solid defender with good aerial skills. The peak of his career was at his hometown and childhood team Lazio. He will be remembered mainly as part of the 82-83 promotion team that got Lazio back up after two dismal years in Serie B. It felt like the beginning of a new dawn. It was not the case but Miele played his part in creating the possibility.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1982-83 | 31 (1) | - | 31 (1) | - |
1983-84 | 17 | 16 | - | 1 |
Total | 48 (1) | 16 | 31 (1) | 1 |
Sources
Yorumlar