Who gets off to a good start…
Two first half goals by Monelli and Pin kick off promotion dream
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had dramatically avoided relegation to Serie C. They started the season with a nine-point docking due to one of their player's involvement in the Totonero bis scandal. The manager was Eugenio Fascetti and only a Giuliano Fiorini goal eight minutes from time in the last game of the season and a subsequent win over Campobasso in a three-team playoff allowed them to stay up. The squad were heroes for life at Lazio but another season was about to begin.
Fascetti stayed on and the objective was clearly promotion. The Biancocelesti made some changes to the squad. Arriving were keeper Silvano Martina (Torino), defender Paolo Beruatto (Torino), midfielders Ciro Muro (Napoli), Gabriele Savino (Vicenza) plus forwards Giuseppe Galderisi (Milan-on loan) and Paolo Monelli (Fiorentina).
Leaving were keepers Mario Ielpo (Cagliari) and Giuliano Terraneo (Lecce), defenders Ernesto Calisti (Fiorentina), Gabriele Podavini (Genoa), Daniele Filisetti (Venezia-Mestre) plus forwards Giuliano Fiorini (Venezia-Mestre), Paolo Mandelli (Inter-end of loan), Fabio Poli (Bologna) and Giampaolo Saurini (Cagliari-on loan). In the autumn Giorgio Magnocavallo also left (Barletta). Some painful departures, especially Podavini, Poli and Fiorini.
Lazio had already started their season in Coppa Italia. They had won 2 (Lecce 1-0 and Casertana 2-0, both at home), drawn 2 (Pisa 0-0 away and Juventus 1-1 at home, then lost on penalties) and lost 1 (Catanzaro 0-5 away) and were eliminated.
Today was more important, the Biancocelesti's league debut for their promotion push.
Sambenedettese had finished 14th the previous season, under former Lazio, Roberto Clagluna. The "Samba" had beaten Lazio 1-0 at home and drawn 0-0 in Rome. Top scorer was Roberto Di Nicola with 11 league goals.
This year the manager was, former great, Angelo Domenghini (Scudetto, European Cup and Intercontinental Cup winner with Inter and historic Scudetto with Cagliari). The Rossoblu had lost Annoni, Di Fabio, Rondini and Turrini while Di Nicola had left for Parma but Paolo Mandelli had arrived from Lazio. The Marchigiani also had another former Lazio player in defender Marco Santarelli (1982-83).
Lazio at home hoped to get their promotion drive off to a winning start today against opponents expected to end up lower to mid table.
The match: Sunday, September 13, 1987, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
A sweltering September day saw about 40,000 gather for Lazio's league debut.
The team news was that Lazio had midfielder Antonio Elia Acerbis and forward Antonio Rizzolo unavailable while the visitors were without defender Marco Saltarelli, midfielder Massimo Ficcadenti plus forwards Egidio Pirozzi and Paolo Mandelli.
Lazio predictably started out on the attack. Sambenedettese pulled back in their own half hoping to take home the point. This was a tactical approach Lazio would often likely to be faced with this season.
The visitors defended well and in the first hour Lazio only had one chance, albeit a huge one, when Gabriele Pin missed a sitter in the 27th minute. The Biancocelesti had previously had a penalty appeal waved away when Nobili clearly rugby tackled Giuseppe Galderisi.
As often is the case Lazio were then awarded a penalty for a seemingly less obvious foul. In the 32nd minute Gabriele Savino clashed with Ferrari in the area and it was unclear who had gone into who but the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Paolo Monelli did not miss the opportunity; the keeper went the right way but the spot kick was powerful and angled. Lazio 1 Sambenedettese 0.
Having broken the deadlock things became easier. First Monelli had a touch cleared near the goal line by Andreoli and then Ferron brilliantly saved a Muro freekick. In the 40th minute Lazio scored again. Ciro Muro set up Pin who raced towards the area, went round the keeper and slotted in to double Lazio's lead. Lazio 2 Sambenedettese 0.
In the second half, especially in the first 10-15 minutes Sambenedettese tried to give Lazio something to worry about and had a Bronzini left footer go just wide and then Silvano Martina had to dive low at Ginelli's feet after an Angelo Gregucci mistake. Then despite periods of pressure the Rossoblu rarely really threatened again.
Sambenedettese took off Vessella in the 55th minute and Ferrari in the 60th, replaced by Sinigaglia and Luperto. Lazio substituted Muro with Domenico Caso in the 62nd minute. Going off Muro shook manager Fascetti's hand, a peace gesture after some friction in pre-season. Lazio would need everyone on the long nine-month promotion marathon.
From now on it was mainly Lazio. Gregucci headed just over the bar, Caso drilled an effort just wide and Ferron acrobatically denied a Savino header. Lazio also had another penalty appeal, for another foul on "Nanu" Galderisi but the ref ignored it.
The last chance of the game however was for Samb but Paolo Beruatto walled a dangerous shot by former Roma player Paolo Alberto Faccini. Final score Lazio 2 Sambenedettese 0.
A routine but positive win for Lazio. The difference in quality between the two sides had been huge. More severe tests awaited Lazio but the promotion campaign had got off to a promising start.
Who played for Lazio
Martina, Marino, Beruatto, Pin (85' Esposito), Gregucci, Piscedda, Savino, Camolese, Galderisi, Muro (62' Caso), Monelli
Substitutes: Salafia, Brunetti, Nigro
Manager: Fascetti
Who played for Sambenedettese
Ferron, Nobile, Andreoli, Ferrari (60' Luperto), Bronzini, Marangon II, Salvioni, Galassi, Ginelli, Vessella (55' Sinigaglia), Faccini
Substitutes: Bonaiuto, Pizzuto, Cardelli
Manager: Domenghini
Referee: Gava
Goals: 32' Monelli (pen), 40' Pin
What happened next
Lazio managed to win promotion. With a 3rd place finish the Biancocelesti went back up to Serie A after three difficult seasons in the "purgatory" of Serie B and even risking worse.
It was not easy. A week later Lazio lost 0-1 at Messina and it was touch and go all season. In the end Lazio won 15, drew 17 and lost 6. On June 19, in an Olimpico already undergoing heavy restoration for Italia '90, Lazio defeated Taranto 3-1 to book their ticket back in the big time. Lazio have been in Serie A ever since. Top scorer was Paolo Monelli with 14 goals (13 in B).
Sambenedettese finished 14th. The Rossoblu won 5, drew 22 and lost 11(including Lazio 1-2). Those were obviously still the days you could draw yourself to survival. Top scorer was Paolo Mandelli with 4 out of 26 total team league goals all season.
Lazio went up with league winners Bologna plus Lecce and Atalanta. At the other end Arezzo, Triestina and Modena slipped down to Serie C.
Lazio 1987-88
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie B | 38 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 42 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Total | 43 | 17 | 19 | 7 | 46 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Monelli | 42 | 37 | 5 |
Marino | 41 | 36 | 5 |
Martina | 41 | 36 | 5 |
Pin | 41 | 36 | 5 |
Beruatto | 40 | 35 | 5 |
Savino | 40 | 35 | 5 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
Monelli | 14 | 13 | 1 |
Savino | 10 | 8 | 2 |
Muro | 4 | 4 | - |
Gregucci | 3 | 3 | - |
Rizzolo | 3 | 3 | - |
Let's talk about Gabriele Pin
Gabriele Pin was born in Vittorio Veneto (Treviso), on September 10, 1962.
He spent his formative career at Juventus. From 13 years of age to 17 he was with the Bianconeri youth sector.
In 1979 he joined the first team squad and made his debut in 1980 in the last game of the season against Fiorentina. The following year he did not get any games so he was then sent out to get experience.
In 1981/82 he played for Sanremese in C1 making 22 appearances and scoring 1 goal. In 1982/83 he was at Forli in C1, again playing 22 times but scoring 5 goals.
Between 1983 and 1985 he was at Parma. The first year the Gialloblu were promoted to Serie B but the next they were immediately relegated back to the third tier. Over the two seasons Pin played 67 league games with 7 goals, plus 9 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal.
In 1985 he was called back "home" to Juventus. He was not first choice but played 21 Serie A games (1 goal against Bari), 7 in Coppa Italia (1 goal against Casertana), and 4 in Europe (1 goal against Jeunesse d'Esch). Juventus won both the scudetto and the Intercontinental Cup against Argentinos Juniors.
In 1986 he started his Roman adventure joining Lazio in Serie B. In his first year he was part of the team that avoided relegation after starting the season with a 9-point deduction. Pin played 40 matches under manager Eugenio Fascetti (including the play outs against Campobasso and Taranto) and scored 2 goals (Modena and Cagliari) plus another 5 in Coppa Italia (talk about midfield Stakhanovite...).
The following year Lazio won promotion to Serie A, Pin playing 36 league games and scoring 2 goals (Sambenedettese and Triestina) and another 5 games in Coppa Italia.
So, in 1988/89 Lazio were back in Serie A and they kept on their reliable midfield dynamo. Pin made 27 league appearances and scored 2 goals (Verona and Torino) and 9 in Coppa Italia with 1 goal (Atalanta).
In 1989/90 he again played regularly with 31 league appearances but also had his most prolific year with 6 goals (Udinese, Napoli, 2 Cesena, Bologna and Inter) plus 2 games in Coppa Italia.
In 1990/91 he was almost ever present with 32 league appearances and 2 goals (a brace against Torino) plus another 2 games in Coppa Italia.
The 1991/92 season would be his last in Rome but he was consistent as usual and played 32 Serie A games and scored 1 goal (Genoa) plus 4 more games in Coppa Italia. At the end of the season with the imminent arrivals of Paul Gascoigne, Aron Winter, Diego Fuser and Dario Marcolin, all in midfield, for Pin it was time to move on.
At Lazio over six years Pin played 225 games with 16 goals and had been captain for three seasons.
Pin moved on but also back, joining Parma again in 1992. In Emilia he played his usual reliable, solid football for four seasons. He made another 98 Serie A appearances (2 goals - Fiorentina and Atalanta), 21 in Coppa Italia and 33 in Europe. Parma had great teams in those years (Asprilla, Brolin, Melli, Osio, Zola, Buffon, Stoichkov, Cannavaro, just to mention a few) and Pin won a Cup Winners Cup (1993), a European Supercup (1993) and a UEFA Cup (1995).
In 1996/97 he moved up the road in Emilia to Piacenza in Serie A. Pin played 21 league games (plus 1 in Coppa Italia) contributing to the "Poppies" survival after a playoff against Cagliari in Naples (3-1).
At this point at 35 years of age Pin called it a day and retired. He had been the midfield playmaker in 552 professional games and scored 35 goals. He had an excellent club career playing for prestigious clubs and winning silverware.
He then moved into a coaching career. Firstly, at Parma in their youth sector and then as assistant to Arrigo Sacchi, Renzo Ulivieri and Cesare Prandelli. It was with Prandelli that Pin struck up a special rapport and was to be his assistant for countless teams: Parma, Roma (very briefly due to Prandelli's wife's health problems), Fiorentina, Galatasaray, Valencia, Al-Nasr, Genoa, Fiorentina again, plus of course the Italian national team (2010-2014 - Runners up at Euro 2012).
In June 2021 Pin accepted the job at Esteghlal (Iran) as assistant to Farhad Majidi. He is currently assistant coach at Al-Ittihad Kalba in the United Arab Emirates, still under Farhad Majidi.
As a player Pin was a central midfielder. He could play in the heart of midfield or in front of the defence. He was an extremely dynamic player, had an excellent sense of position and astute tactical geometry. He was a perfect link between defence and attack. He was clean and technically precise with the knack of always making himself available for his team mates whether it was for defending or constructing an attacking move, always seemingly to have the time to make the right decision. He was a reliable player rarely missing games through injury or suspension. He was the type of player most people would put first or pretty high up on their list when picking a team.
What about Pin and Lazio? He was with the Biancocelesti for 6 years, captain for 3, played 225 games, scored 16 goals, was part of the heroic -9 team, won promotion, played in the Di Canio winning derby… I think it's fair to say Gabriele Pin has his name in a prominent position in the Lazio history books.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Serie B | Coppa Italia |
1986-87 | 45 (2) | - | 40 (2) | 5 |
1987-88 | 41 (2) | - | 36 (2) | 5 |
1988-89 | 36 (3) | 27 (2) | - | 9 (1) |
1989-90 | 33 (6) | 31 (6) | - | 2 |
1990-91 | 34 (2) | 32 (2) | - | 2 |
1991-92 | 36 (1) | 32 (1) | - | 4 |
Total | 225 (16) | 122 (11) | 76 (4) | 27 (1) |
Sources
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