Vella saves Lazio
A last gasp goal from Vella gives Lazio a deserved draw
Also on this day: March 20, 2016, Milan Lazio 1-1. Both teams could have won, but in the end, they had to settle for a draw which does not change their season much. Player of the day: Milan Bisevac
The season so far
The first big news of the season came with Italy winning the World Cup in Spain. The Italian Football Federation, to celebrate its historic win, decided to cut a few years off the suspension of all those players involved in the Totonero scandal of 1980. Therefore Bruno Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia could come back to play. This was a real bonus for Lazio and a golden ticket to finally get back into Serie A.
President Gian Casoni and Sports Director Antonio Sbardella got rid of a lot of players that had been bought in the last couple years – in other words those who failed to get Lazio promoted - and replaced them with new ones who were to guarantee that the job got done.
So in came some of the players that, whether they stayed for a long time or not, became Lazio icons during the 1980s such as Nando Orsi, Enrico Vella and Gabriele Podavini.
Lazio therefore had changed quite a lot and had difficulty in finding the right team. Despite being knocked out of the Coppa Italia in August, the season started with a lot of expectations. However, three draws in the first three games meant that there was quite a lot of pressure on Manager Roberto Clagluna, who was not a fan favourite.
The manager started to change things. Orsi substituted Maurizio Moscatelli, who was not performing well following his return to football after breaking his Achilles tendon, Manfredonia was moved to midfield, Marco Saltarelli was introduced as new left-back and Renato Miele was placed at the centre of the defence. Things began to change and Lazio went on a roll of seven consecutive victories from the end of October to mid December and reached the top spot in Serie B.
In December, in the last match of 1982, Lazio drew 2-2 in a spectacular game against other promotion favourites Milan, and Serie A looked just around the corner. But things changed in the new year and Lazio started to struggle a bit. In the first ten games of 1983 they drew six, lost two and won only two. They lost the top spot to Milan, but kept a comfortable cushion of five points over the fourth placed teams.
That cushion had to be maintained at all costs.
The match: Sunday, March 20, 1983, Stadio Renato Curi, Perugia
Perugia is only a few hours away from Rome, hence the Umbrian town was invaded by quite a number of Lazio fans (including us) that filled the entire Curva Sud.
It had never been easy at Perugia for Lazio, and this match was a confirmation. The Grifoni started well and scored after just ten minutes. Long high cross in the box from Giovanni Pagliari, Moreno Morbiducci jumped higher than Marco Saltarelli and headed the ball in.
Lazio had trouble getting things organised and Perugia dominated. However after the initial onslaught, the Grifoni became more cautious and the Biancoceleste midfield took over especially with Enrico Vella and Roberto Tavola.
In the second half, Lazio had more control of the game even if there was a lot of confusion. Bruno Giordano hit the crossbar and post with a thundering shot from outside the box in the 47th minute. Perugia had a double chance first with a Morbiducci header off a Pagliari cross but Fernando Orsi saved, and then Morbiducci hit the woodwork in the 57th minute. Lazio increased pressure and Giordano had a couple of chances but it was not his day.
Just when all hope seemed lost, Lazio equalised. With thirty seconds to go, Perugia were unable to clear the area properly, Vella pounced towards the loose ball and headed into the goal.
A well deserved point for Lazio on a difficult pitch.
Who played for Perugia
Di Leo, Amenta, Ceccarini, Caneo, Ottoni, Sanguin, Piga, Ciardelli (68' Zagano), G.Pagliari, De Gradi, Morbiducci (81' Caso).
Substitutes: Marigo, Mauti, Zerbio.
Manager: Agroppi.
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Podavini, Saltarelli (83’ Badiani), Vella, Miele, Manfredonia, Ambu, Tavola, Giordano, Surro, Sciarpa (68’ Chiodi)
Manager: Clagluna
Referee: Agnolin
Goals: 10’ Morbiducci, 89’ Vella
Four Perugia players involved in this match had been or would in the future be involved with Lazio. Dario Sanguin had played the previous two seasons with the Biancocelesti, as had Perugia’s second goalkeeper Dario Marigo. Mario Piga would play the following season for Lazio and Mimmo Caso would become one of the heroes of the -9 season, as well as the first manager under the Claudio Lotito presidency.
What happened next
After beating Bari 1-0 in the next game, the Biancocelesti went into a long psychological and technical crisis. They had difficulties in scoring because they were not creating chances. Clagluna could not figure out a solution. In April Lazio dismally drew 0-0 three times and lost at home against Pistoiese and away to Varese.
The match against Reggiana on May 8 was fundamental. The Serie A was slipping away. Lazio scored three times with Giordano but were unable to secure victory. Clagluna had to go in order to create a spark that could help Lazio get over the line. Old Lazio glory Giancarlo Morrone, who was managing the Primavera team, was called in to help create that spark. The next match things precipitated even further and Lazio lost 5-1 to Milan.
On Sunday May 22, Lazio fans woke up with heavy hearts. But when they went to buy the newspaper they saw that Giorgio Chinaglia wanted to buy Lazio. The enthusiasm that this news generated brought 55,000 people to Lazio vs Atalanta, a decisive game, and lifted the team to victory.
After a goalless draw at Arezzo, the following Sunday came the mother of all games for Lazio at home against Catania. A win meant that only a point would then be needed to get promoted. And win it was thanks to a shot from Gabriele Podavini deflected by Giorgio Mastropasqua that made it 2-1. The last game against Cavese finished 2-2 and Lazio were finally in Serie A after three years.
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 Enrico Vella
Enrico Vella is one of those players who, although he played just a season plus a few months for Lazio, is remembered with great affection by all Lazio fans.
Born in Genoa on September 18, 1957, Vella played most of his youth career for his hometown team, but started as a professional playing in Serie D for Sestri Levante in the 1976-77 season.
The next year he moved to nearby Sanremese where in three years he was one of the protagonists in the two-tier jump from Serie D to Serie C1. In 1980 he signed for Sampdoria for a year in Serie B and the year after he moved to Sicily and played for Catania.
In 1982 he signed for Lazio. He became an immediate fan favourite. His generosity on the pitch had no rivals and for the Laziali it was love at first sight. He was usually in charge of man marking the opponent’s playmaker, but this did not stop him from scoring. In the 1982-83 season he scored some extremely vital goals for Lazio such as at Pistoia and Perugia. Lazio got promoted back to Serie A, and he was one of the protagonists.
In the 1983-84 season he finally debuted in Serie A in Verona on September 11 but after five games he was sold to Atalanta. He had an argument with the Manager Giancarlo Morrone and asked Chinaglia for a transfer.
At Bergamo he played for two seasons and in 1985 he signed for Palermo. Unfortunately, during his medical, the doctors found he had a ventricular arrhythmia. He had to stop playing for a few months, and once he was cured he continued with Atalanta. His last season as a pro was with Arezzo in 1986-87. He continued to play at lower levels until 39 years of age with various teams in Liguria, often as player-manager. Once he stopped playing he continued as manager always for clubs in the regional categories.
Vella played 52 games for Lazio: 5 in Serie A, 38 in Serie B and 9 in Coppa Italia. He scored six goals for the Biancocelsti, 5 in Serie B and one in Coppa Italia
The Lazio fans have never forgotten him. He received a Prize from a Lazio journal in 1983 for his “Lazialità” and in a Corriere dello Sport poll at the time he was voted second favourite player behind Giordano, and to this day we can safely define him as a Lazio hero.
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1982-83 | 42 (5) | - | 38 (5) | 4 |
Aug-Oct 1983 | 10 (1) | 5 | - | 5 (1) |
Total | 52 (6) | 5 | 38 (5) | 9 (1) |
Sources
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