Late draw followed by brawl
Chinaglia scored twice towards the end of the game to equalise for Lazio but there was a massive punchup between the players in the aftermath.
Also on this day: September 16, 2003, Beşiktaş Lazio 0-2, Champions League. Lazio win in Turkey thanks to Stam and Fiore. Lazio Legend of the day: Jaap Stam
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 Torino 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.
In Coppa Italia Lazio had been eliminated after arriving second in their group.
The campionato was yet to start and for the moment there was the Fairs Cup to play. Lazio had had an unlucky draw: Arsenal.
The match: Wednesday, September 16, 1970, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The rivalry started the day before when Arsenal manager Bertie Mee in the press conference for the British press stated that the game against the Italians was going to be a real battle and he was sure that his players would be physically attacked on the pitch. This was because Juan Carlos Lorenzo, Lazio manager, in the World Cup of 1966 was the head coach of Argentina who were pretty brutal in the game against England. It was so bad that Sir Alf Ramsey described the Argentinians as animals.
These declarations certainly did not go down well with the Lazio team and since both Giorgio Chinaglia and Pino Wilson understood English, they could tell when the Arsenal players were making fun of them. In contrast, the Gunners claimed that they were foul-mouthed and spat on during the game.
Anyway, the match started with Lazio attacking with shots from outside the box from Ferruccio Mazzola, Chinaglia and Giuseppe Massa. In the 25th minute Pierpaolo Manservisi dribbled past a few defenders but once in front of the keeper shot directly at him, Chinaglia tried to score on the rebound but Frank McLintock managed to save into corner. Long John was dangerous in the 33rd minute with a shot that hit the outside of the net.
After a good first half, Lazio had a blackout in the beginning of the second 45 minutes. In the 52nd minute John Radford headed a lob over Michelangelo Sulfaro who was way too far out of the goal and gave the Gunners the lead. Which four minutes later became 2-0. George Armstrong ran down the left and crossed, Nello Governato was busy tying his bootlace, and Radford in complete solitude headed the ball into the net.
This one-two almost knocked Lazio out, but they pulled their socks up and started to press the Arsenal team. At this point enter Schulenburg, West German referee. After ignoring a blatant foul on Governato in the box, in the 66th minute he claimed his masterpiece. After a Giuliano Fortunato-Massa-Chinaglia play, Long John tried a shot that was parried into corner by Bob Wilson. On the subsequent corner, Mazzola crossed, Pat Rice intervened with a studs up tackle on Franco Nanni who was about to shoot but Chinaglia then managed to score anyway. At that point the ref gave an indirect free kick to Lazio, not conceding the goal. Huge protests from the Lazio players and fans with an attempted pitch invasion.
Massa, Mazzola and Arrigo Dolso tried shots that shaved the woodwork and then Chinaglia decided to sort things out. In the 85th minute Dolso to Chinaglia, big whack, and Lazio reduced the deficit. Mazzola missed the equaliser a few seconds later but then Chinaglia in the 89th minute went solo, dribbled past a couple of players and went forward like a bulldozer. He went past Wilson and shot at goal, on the line McLintock saved with his hands, penalty. Long John made no mistake, Lazio 2 Arsenal 2.
A great match from the Biancocelesti despite a terrible referee.
Who played for Lazio
Sulfaro, Nanni, Facco, Governato (65’ Fortunato), Papadopulo, Wilson, Manservisi (51’ Morrone), Mazzola II, Chinaglia, Massa, Dolso
Substitutes: Di Vincenzo, Polentes, Marchesi
Manager: Lorenzo
Who played for Arsenal
Wilson, Rice, McNab, Kelly, McLintock, Roberts, Armstrong, Storey, Radford, Kennedy, Graham
Substitutes: Barnett, Nelson, Woodword, Marinello, Davies
Manager: Mee
Referee: Schulenburg
Goals: 52’ Radford, 56’ Radford, 85’ Chinaglia, 89’ Chinaglia (pen)
Aftermath
After the match there was an official dinner for the two teams. As they were leaving Ray Kennedy, maybe as a joke, kicked Giuseppe Papadopulo’s back side. His prompt reaction was an uppercut. This generated a massive brawl between the players. Papdopulo, Sulfaro and Rosario Di Vincenzo were forced to go to hospital to be medicated.
The British press claimed that it was the Lazio players who started it, incited by Lorenzo, but one can also read a little vendetta by the Brits following the 1966 battle in the World Cup.
Lazio were eventually beaten 2-0 in the return match.
What happened next
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.
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 2-1 down 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.
At the end of the season there was a consolation prize as Lazio won the Cup of the Alps beating Basel 3-1 in the final.
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 the Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played from 1955 to 1971. The idea came from Ernst Tommen, FIFA Vice President, Ottorino Barassi, President of the Italian Football Federation, and Stanley Rous, English Football Association secretary. The initial idea was to use the competition to promote international trade fairs. There had been a number of friendlies between clubs who held fairs so this was a way to evolve the competition. As a consequence, only cities that held fairs could participate, at least in the beginning.
Until 1964, the clubs that played were either chosen by their Federation or invited by the organisers.
The first edition of the tournament took place over three years between 1955 and 1958 and because of the rule “one city-one club” many cities were represented by a type of “best of”. There was a group stage with away and home games. The final was won by Barcelona XI who beat London XI 8-2 on aggregate. The Barcelona team featured 10 players from Barça and one from Espanyol compared to the London XI which featured players from 11 different clubs. The second competition lasted two years and was based on a knockout system, but there were still “best of” teams. Inter (9th in the 1957-58 Serie A) and Roma (5th) were chosen to play the cup regardless of their standing in Serie A. It was won by Barcelona who beat Birmingham City 4-1 on aggregate.
From 1960, the tournament was held over a single year. Again Inter (4th in 1959-60) and Roma (9th) were invited and the Giallorossi won beating Birmingham City 4-2 on aggregate. There were still teams made up of mixed representatives of city clubs (Belgrade, Basel, Zagreb, Koln).
Starting from 1964, the teams that played the Fairs Cup were based on League position and the competition looked more like what the UEFA Cup would become.
In the last four years of its existence, 1967-1971, the Cup was won by English clubs (Leeds United twice, Arsenal and Newcastle once). Once it was abolished, no club had won the trophy permanently so a play-off was played between the first winner, Barcelona, and the last, Leeds. Barcelona won 2-1 at the Camp Nou.
Can Roma claim to have a European trophy?
As mentioned, Roma won the 1960-61 edition. Ever since they have claimed that it was as if they had won a UEFA Cup. Well, not really. Since it was by invitation only, it was on the same level as the Cup of the Alps, even though much more competitive. So, a prestigious trophy but not like the UEFA Cup at all. Those teams that won from 1964 onwards, when the qualification was based on merit, could however make that claim and quite rightfully too.
Fairs Cup Winners
Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
1955-58 | Barcelona XI | London XI |
1958-60 | Barcelona | Birmingham City |
1960-61 | Roma | Birmingham City |
1961-62 | Valencia | Barcelona |
1962-63 | Valencia | Dinamo Zagreb |
1963-64 | Real Zaragoza | Valencia |
1964-65 | Ferencváros | Juventus |
1965-66 | Barcelona | Real Zaragoza |
1966-67 | Dinamo Zagreb | Leeds United |
1967-68 | Leeds United | Ferencváros |
1968-69 | Newcastle United | Újpest FC |
1969-70 | Arsenal | Anderlecht |
1970-71 | Leeds United | Juventus |
Sources
Comments