Mancini to the rescue but not Roberto
A poor and presumptuous Lazio overturn match in injury time with some help by former keeper
The season so far
The previous season had seen Dino Zoff take over from Zdenek Zeman in January and earn a 4th place finish. Giuseppe Signori's 15 goals had helped Lazio conquer a UEFA Cup place and make it a positive season.
This year however there had been big changes. Lazio had a new manager in Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson, who arrived in the summer from Sampdoria.
There had been other major changes to the squad too. In had come goalkeeper Marco Ballotta (Reggiana), full back Giuseppe Pancaro (Cagliari), midfielders Matías Almeyda (Sevilla) and Vladimir Jugovic (Juventus) plus forwards Alen Boksic (back from Juventus) and Roberto Mancini (Sampdoria)
The players who left were South-African defender Mark Fish (Bolton), midfielders Roberto Baronio (on loan to Vicenza), and Alessandro Iannuzzi (Lecce) plus forwards Marco Di Vaio (Salernitana) and Igor Protti (Napoli-on loan).
So Lazio had definitely strengthened their squad and were hoping for new exciting times.
Lazio's season in Serie A had started well with a 2-0 home win over Napoli on August 31. It had continued positively with a 1-1 away draw with Milan but then had come a shock 0-1 defeat at Empoli (with a goal by future Lazio assistant manager Giovanni Martusciello). Lazio were currently joint 8th on 4 points.
In Coppa Italia the Biancocelesti had passed the first obstacle by beating Fidelis Andria 6-2 on aggregate. Next up Napoli home and away in October-November.
In the UEFA Cup Lazio had played the away leg in the round of 64 and comfortably won 4-0 away to Vitória Guimarāes. The return home leg against the Portuguese, in three days' time, should be a mere formality.
Today's opposition Bari were newly promoted. The Biancorossi had finished 4th in Serie B the previous season, under former Lazio and eternal legend Eugenio Fascetti.
This season Fascetti was still in charge. The main new players were: goalkeeper Francesco Mancini (Foggia), defender Gaetano De Rosa (Savoia), midfielders Gianluca Sordo (Reggiana), Mauro Bressan (Cagliari), Michele Marcolini (Sora), Gianluca Zambrotta (Como) and South-African forward Phil Masinga (Salernitana).
Leaving were goalkeeper Alberto Fontana (Atalanta), defenders Paolo Annoni (Lecce), Marcello Montanari (Lucchese), midfielders Antonio Bellavista (Giulianova on loan but he would be back in 2000 for 8 more years) plus forwards Marco Di Vaio (Salernitana on loan via Lazio) and Francesco Flachi (Fiorentina).
In Serie A so far Bari were struggling. The "Galletti" had 1 point after a 0-0 home draw to Bologna and two defeats, Parma 0-2 at home on debut and Fiorentina 1-3 away.
In Coppa Italia Bari had got through the first round by beating Salernitana 2-1 on aggregate. Then they eliminated Brescia again 2-1 on aggregate. They would now play Parma in the third round in October-November.
Lazio were ambitious this year. They really had to win today to pull themselves up into a loftier position in the table and keep pace with the front runners.
The match: Saturday, September 27, 1997, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
This Saturday night game attracted about 45,000 to the Olimpico.
Lazio had a few absences, defender José Antonio Chamot plus midfielders Vladimir Jugovic and Matias Almeyda. Bari were without defender Luigi Garzya and former Lazio midfielder Thomas Doll. The "Pugliesi' were very covered up, starting with only Nicola Ventola up front and an extremely padded midfield.
Lazio started off very aggressively. In the first minutes Alen Boksic set up Gigi Casiraghi who headed down towards goal but Franco Mancini flew to his left and parried well near the post.
In the 6th minute Lazio took the lead. A powerful long range shot by Pavel Nedved was touched but let in by Mancini who should have done better. Lazio 1 Bari 0.
Lazio now had the perfect tactical situation but did not take advantage. They were in control and attacked but rarely threatened again. They were then punished just before halftime when a Sergio Volpi freekick took a deflection off Giorgio Venturin and wrong-footed Luca Marchegiani. Lazio 1 Bari 1.
For the second half Lazio replaced Giuseppe Favalli with Paolo Negro and then in the 55th Giuseppe Signori came on for an out of sorts Boksic. In the 58th minute, amid general indifference, Bari replaced Rachid Neqrouz with Roberto Ripa.
Three minutes later the substitute announced his arrival by scoring. In the 61st minute, on a corner from the left, the defender jumped undisturbed in the crowded area and headed home. Lazio 1 Bari 2.
From this point on it was all out attack by Lazio. They had their chances but Mancini saved well on a Signori lob, Casiraghi's header hit the bar and Signori put the seemingly easy rebound wide.
In the 87th minute Phil Masinga, who had replaced Ventola with 20 minutes to go, got himself foolishly sent off for a foul followed by a petulant and futile reaction. This gave Lazio even more belief and energy and it all happened in injury time.
In the 91st minute Roberto Rambaudi, who had replaced Giorgio Venturin for the last fifteen-minute siege, earned a free kick at the edge of the box. Roberto Mancini rolled the ball to oncoming Signori who blasted a medium height missile into the left of the goal. Lazio 2 Bari 2. Relief for the Biancocelesti but the best was yet to come.
In the 94th minute Nedved on the left inside the area, tried his luck with a low left foot towards the front post. And lucky he got as Franco Mancini dived down but fumbled the ball which then hit the post and sneaked in. Lazio 3 Bari 2.
An unhoped last gasp win for Lazio. It was not totally undeserved despite coming in the dying moments but there was no denying Lazio had not played well. They had two goalkeeper mistakes to thank and would have to improve if they wanted to realistically challenge for the top positions.
Bari had been unlucky, had it not been for a shaky goalkeeper, a naive late sending off and a dubious 91st minute freekick decision they could easily have taken a point, if not all three, back to Puglia.
Who played for Lazio
Marchegiani, Pancaro, Nesta, G. Lopez, Favalli (46' Negro), Fuser, Venturin (74' Rambaudi), Nedved, R. Mancini, Casiraghi, Boksic (55' Signori)
Manager: Eriksson
Who played for Bari
F. Mancini, De Rosa, Sala, Neqrouz (58' Ripa), Manighetti, Giorgetti, Volpi, Ingesson (78' Sassarini), Bressan, Zambrotta, Ventola (69' Masinga)
Substitutes: Gentili, Sordo, De Ascentis, Marcolini
Manager: Fascetti
Referee: Bonfrisco
Goals: 6' Nedved, 48' Venturin (og), 61' Ripa, 91' Signori, 94' Nedved
Red Card: 86' Masinga
What happened next
Lazio continued to be up and down until mid-December when they really hit form. Lazio then challenged for the title until a precise date, April 5. They played leaders Juventus, got beaten 1-0 and never recovered. In the last 6 matches they managed to muster only one point and ended up in a disappointing 7th place. Top scorers were Pavel Nedvěd and Alen Boksic with 15 goals (Nedved 11 in A and Boksic 10). Alas, previous years goal machine Beppe Signori had left in late November due to contrasts with Eriksson over lack of playing time.
Strange but true however it turned out to be a season to remember. They beat hated city rivals 4 times! Twice in the league (3-1 in ten men and 2-0) and twice in the Coppa Italia (4-1 and 2-1), a record which has yet to be rivalled.
They also had an excellent European campaign. They reached the UEFA Cup Final in Paris. On the way they eliminated Vitória Guimarāes, Rotor, Rapid Vienna, Auxerre and Atlético Madrid. Then, however, a tired Lazio were well beaten 0-3 by Ronaldo's Inter.
It was in the domestic cup, the Coppa Italia, that they lived their finest hour. They knocked out Napoli (4-0, 0-3), Roma (4-1, 2-1) and in the semi-final Juventus (1-0, 2-2).
The final against Milan was also still played over two legs, home and away. The first went to Milan 1-0 with an 89th minute George Weah winner. The return match in Rome seemed to be heading in Milan's favour too when a Demetrio Albertini freekick put the Rossoneri 1-0 up just before half time. A stirring second half performance however turned the final around. Goals by Gottardi, Jugovic (pen) and captain Nesta gave Lazio a dramatic 3-1 victory and after 30 years gave the Biancocelesti long awaited silverware.
So, a European Final, 4 derby wins and a domestic cup after thirty years definitely made it a season to cherish.
Bari's results improved and they finished 11th, never seriously risking relegation. The "Vecchia stella del Sud" won 10, drew 8 and lost 16 (including Lazio 0-2). Top scorer was Phil Masinga with 9 league goals.
In Coppa Italia the Biancorossi were then knocked out by Parma 1-3 on aggregate.
Juventus won their 25th Scudetto while the four unlucky ones saying "arrivederci" were Napoli, Lecce, Atalanta and Brescia.
Lazio 1997-98
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 53 |
Coppa Italia | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
UEFA Cup | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 16 |
Total | 55 | 30 | 12 | 13 | 91 |
Top five appearances (complete player statistics)
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
52 | 34 | 8 | 10 | |
51 | 32 | 9 | 10 | |
51 | 33 | 8 | 10 | |
49 | 30 | 9 | 10 | |
47 | 28 | 10 | 9 |
Top five goal scorers (complete player statistics)
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | UEFA Cup |
15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | |
15 | 10 | 5 | - | |
Diego Fuser | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | |
Roberto Mancini | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
Let's talk about Franco Mancini
Francesco Mancini known as Franco was born in Matera on October 10, 1968.
His first club was his hometown's side between 1985 and 1987. The Biancazzurri were in C2 and finished 4th and 16th (relegated).
In 1987 he joined Bisceglie in C2 but left in October before making any appearances for the Nerazzurri stellati.
In October he signed for Foggia in C1 but in his first year played no matches and only 3 in the following season when the Rossoneri were promoted to B under Giuseppe Caramanno. In 1989-90 Zdenek Zeman arrived in Foggia and everything changed with Mancini playing 35 league games while Foggia finished 8th. In 1990-91 the "Satanelli" (Little Devils) won promotion to Serie A and Mancini played 36 league games. In the following four years Mancini played 122 league games with the Diavoli del Sud finishing 9th, 12th, 9th and 16th (relegated, now under Enrico Catuzzi). In his time in Foggia, he played alongside future Lazio Beppe Signori (1992-97) Roberto Rambaudi (1994-98), José Antonio Chamot (1994-98) and former Lazio Gigi Di Biagio (1988-89), Paolo Mandelli (1986-87) and Giovanni Stroppa (1991-93).
In November 1995, after playing 2 league games in Serie B with Foggia, he joined Lazio on loan in Serie A and was reunited with Zeman. Lazio's first choice keepers Luca Marchegiani and Fernando Orsi were both out injured so Zeman requested to bring Mancini to the capital. In the end he only played 6 league games and 2 in Coppa Italia. He did not play particularly well and when Marchegiani returned he was soon side-lined. Lazio had a good season and finished 3rd.
In 1996 he returned to Foggia who were still in Serie B. He played 37 league games under Tarcisio Burgnich and Foggia finished 11th. One of his teammates was former Lazio Oberdan Biagioni (1987-88).
In 1997 Mancini went up the coast and joined Bari in Serie A. He stayed three full seasons, playing 95 league games. The "Galletti" (Cockerels) finished 11th and 10th and 14th under Eugenio Fascetti. His teammates included former Lazio, Thomas Doll (1991-94) and a young Antonio Cassano.
In October 2000 Mancini joined Napoli in Serie A. The Partenopei, under Zeman (1-6) and then Emiliano Mondonico, had a bad season and were relegated. Mancini played 17 league games. He then stayed on in Serie B with a 5th place under Luigi De Canio and a 16th under Franco Colomba (1-16), Franco Scoglio (17-25) and then Colomba again. In the two B years Mancini played another 65 league games.
In 2003 he joined Pisa in Serie C1. He played 30 league games under first Giovanni Simonelli (1-21) and then Antonio Cabrini and the Nerazzurri finished 8th. The following year he left in January after playing another 8 league games.
He joined Sambenedettese in the same C1 league. The manager was future Lazio Davide Ballardini and the Rossoblu finished 4th. Mancini played 14 league games.
In 2005-06 he spent a year with Teramo in C1. He played 32 league games under Marco Cari and the Diavoli finished 7th.
In 2006-07 he was at Salernitana in C1. He played 18 league games under Raffaele Novelli and then Gianfranco Bellotto and the Granata finished 10th.
In 2007-08 he was back in Puglia with Martina in C. The Biancazzurri got through three managers and ended up relegated as well as going bankrupt. Mancini played 14 league games.
His last club was Fortis Trani in Promozione (6th tier). He played 13 league games and the Dragons won promotion.
At almost 40 he then retired.
He became a goalkeeper coach and worked with Manfredonia (2009-10), Foggia (2010-11) and Pescara (2011-12). It was while at Pescara, after training in the morning, that he died suddenly due to a heart attack while back at his home. He was only 43.
Mancini was a goalkeeper. He was not tall, at 1.77, but was acrobatic, brave and excellent with his feet. His style of play led him to alternate spectacular saves with occasional but equally spectacular howlers. One of his more positive moments was when he famously pulled off a "sombrero" on the great Marco Van Basten.
Lazio did not see the best of him. He only played 6 league games and was in one of his error prone periods.
His best moments were the Zemanlandia days at Foggia where a spectacular, attacking style of football impressed the whole nation.
Since his death, on March 30, 2012, the Curva Nord of the Pino Zaccheria stadium in Foggia has been named after him. The same was then done in Matera where one of the stands bears his name.
Lazio Career
Season | Appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1995-96 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
Sources
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