First point with the return of Lorenzo
Juan Carlo Lorenzo returns and Lazio finally get their first point
Also on this day: September 30, 2006: Torino Lazio 0-4. The Biancocelesti demolish Torino 4-0 away thanks to Rocchi, Oddo and Mauri Player of the day: Massimo Oddo
The season so far
The previous season Lazio had avoided relegation by drawing 2-2 in the last game at Pisa. They had fought all season, changed manager from Giancarlo Morrone to Paolo Carosi, lost their star striker Bruno Giordano due to injury for many months, but in the end a Giordano double allowed Lazio to stay in Serie A.
“We will never suffer like this again”, said President Giorgio Chinaglia at the end of Pisa-Lazio.
But the club still had debts and it did not look like anybody in the US would come to the rescue. Chinaglia had a plan though. He was going to sell Giordano and Lionello Manfredonia, settle the debts and start building the club and team.
Giorgio in 1984 sold the Lazio golden boys to Juventus in exchange for money and a number of players. Giordano was going to be substituted by Massimo Briaschi who would be bought by Juventus from Genoa and given to Lazio. Once this deal was done, it was going to be Manfredonia’s turn.
First problem: Briaschi had no intention of coming to Lazio. Chinaglia offered him an amazing salary but he was not interested. Juventus would have offered Aldo Serena as a replacement but he also refused. Second problem: Juventus offered Giordano a lower wage compared to what he got at Lazio. Juve had a policy of low salaries but rich bonuses, but Giordano refused. At this point both deals failed and the two stayed in Rome. But this meant that all Chinaglia’s plans for a better team also collapsed. A few players were signed but they were not all that great: forward Oliviero Garlini (Cesena), defenders Massimo Storgato (Verona) and Arturo Vianello (Pisa) and midfielder Fortunato Torrisi (Catania). Ernesto Calisti returned from his loan to Cavese. Leaving Lazio were Angelo Cupini (Bari), Mauro Meluso (Cremonese), Mario Piga (Palermo), Rinaldo Piraccini (Pistoiese) and Massimo Piscedda (loan to Taranto).
The season started in August with the Coppa Italia. Lazio had not done too badly and were almost through to the second stage. The last game was against Roma. A point each would have meant that they would both go through. But a ridiculous penalty given to Roma and an Antonio Di Carlo goal gave Roma the win. Lazio could still have got to the round of 16 anyway on goal difference. Genoa had to beat Pistoiese 5-0 to overtake Lazio and unfortunately this is exactly what happened with three goals in the last 8 minutes. The Biancocelesti were out and Chinaglia was furious. His temper did not improve after Lazio lost the first Serie A game against Fiorentina and most certainly not after losing 5-0 against Zico’s Udinese. He blamed Carosi for being too soft with the players and sacked him. Juan Carlos Lorenzo was called in his place.
Juan Carlos Lorenzo had been Lazio manager when Chinaglia joined in the 60's and he was very fond of him. But the new manager had arrived just two days prior to the game, not enough to make an impact.
The match: Sunday, September 30, 1984, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
It was pouring with rain but this did not stop President Giorgio Chinaglia from going into Curva Nord to watch part of the match. Before the start of the game some ball boys unrolled a banner in which Chinaglia had had written “Siete impagabili”, you are invaluable. Everybody was cheering him, with the exception of a few people who were still mad at him for having sacked Carosi.
Lazio started well despite the very wet pitch but could not really create anything dangerous. But the only chance came for Inter in the 16th minute when Alessandro Altobelli, after a one-two with Giancarlo Pasinato, controlled the ball, sombrero and volley which ended up in the stands.
In the 27th minute Lazio surprisingly went ahead. Vincenzo D’Amico put a low cross into the box, Massimo Storgato missed the ball which reached Bruno Giordano. His volley was saved by Walter Zenga. Well almost. The keeper fumbled and the ball went into the back of the net.
The lead did not last long. In the 33rd minute Pasinato to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on the right, low cross in the box and Altobelli anticipated the defenders and scored.
Not a lot happened after these two goals with the exception of a Rumenigge opportunity in the second half. In the 59th minute one-two with Antonio Sabato and the German striker was face to face with Nando Orsi who managed to anticipate him.
An awful game but at least Lazio got their first point.
Who played for Lazio
Orsi, Storgato, Filisetti, Vianello, Batista, Podavini, D’Amico (76’ Garlini), Vinazzani (61’ Torrisi), Giordano, Laudrup, Manfredonia
Substitutes: Cacciatori, Spinozzi, Calisti
Manager: Lorenzo
Who played for Inter
Zenga, Bergomi, Baresi I, Mandorlini (79' G. Marini), Collovati, Ferri II, Pasinato, Sabato, Altobelli (70' C. Muraro), Brady, Rummenigge
Substitutes: Recchi, Bini, Causio
Manager: Castagner
Referee: Bergamo
Goals: 27’ Giordano, 33’ Altobelli
What happened next
The beginning was comforting, draws against Diego Maradona’s Napoli and Roma, a couple of wins, maybe Chinaglia was right after all.
After a 2-2 draw against Sampdoria, with Lazio 2-0 down but then scoring two goals in the last minutes of the game, the Biancocelesti lost seven consecutive games. Then, after a goalless draw at home against Ascoli, the Biancocelesti lost 4-0 against Napoli and that was the end of Lorenzo. In came Giancarlo Oddi and Bob Lovati. Lazio were second from last, six points away from safety. A miracle was needed. After due draws in the derby and against Atalanta, Lazio lost five consecutive games. One last moment of pride arrived in the last game at home against Juventus when, 3-1 down, they managed to equalise and almost win, hence showing that if they had continued with Carosi, the season would probably have been different.
Lazio were relegated despite having a team with Michael Laudrup, Bruno Giordano, Lionello Manfredonia, Joāo Batista and Vincenzo D’Amico.
Laudrup and Orsi were the players with most appearances (35), Giordano the top scorer with 8 goals.
Lazio 1984-85
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals scored |
Serie A | 30 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 16 |
Coppa Italia | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Total | 35 | 4 | 13 | 18 | 24 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Laudrup | 35 | 30 | 5 |
Orsi | 35 | 30 | 5 |
Manfredonia | 32 | 27 | 5 |
Giordano | 30 | 25 | 5 |
Calisti | 30 | 25 | 5 |
Filisetti | 30 | 25 | 5 |
Top Goal Scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
Giordano | 8 | 5 | 3 |
D'Amico | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Podavini | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Let's talk about Massimo Storgato
Massimo Storgato was born on June 3, 1961 in Casale Monferrato in Piedmont. He began his football career with Juventus and in 1979 was sent to Bergamo on loan to play for Atalanta in Serie B. After 18 league appearances he went back to Turin but in 1980-81 made just one appearance, even though the Bianconeri won the scudetto. In 1981 he moved to Cesena in Serie A again on loan and made 15 appearances. With Juve in 1982-83 he made 6 appearances in Serie A and won a Coppa Italia. In 1983 he moved again and went on loan to Verona where he finally got more playing time (26 appearances and three goals).
In 1984 he was loaned to Lazio. It was a disastrous year for the Biancocelesti who were relegated. Storgato turned out to be more of a liability than an asset but he did play 27 games.
In 1985 he signed for Udinese where he stayed for four years, apart for a few months in 1987 with Avellino. With Udinese he was first relegated and then promoted back to Serie A in 1988-1989. He made 98 appearances with the Friulani.
He continued to play throughout the 1990s even though in the minor tiers with Cosenza, Alessandria, Pro Vercelli, Ivrea and Sangiustese. With the latter he was player/manager.
Storgato later became a full-time manager and coached an array of teams mostly in the minor tiers. But he did also coach Juventus’ Under 17s between 2002 and 2007 winning a scudetto in 2005-06, and the Primavera teams of Modena (2012-13) and Padova (2013-14).
Storgato is certainly not remembered well at Lazio, but nobody can say to be very fond of that 1984-85 season.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
1984-85 | 27 | 25 | 2 |
Sources
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