This Week In Lazio History: November 11-17 | OneFootball

This week in Lazio history we remember the Nanni “water heater”, wins in derbies and big scores, plus the passing of Luigi Milano.

Matches of the Week

Date: Sunday, November 11, 2012 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Roma 3-2 Lazio come from behind and triumph despite late scare. Goals from Candreva, Klose and Mauri. De Rossi sent off.

Date: Sunday, November 12, 2006 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Udinese 5-0 The Biancocelesti demolish Udinese thanks to Mauri, Rocchi and Oddo

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Napoli 2-0 A goal from Floccari and one from Zarate kill off Napoli and give the Biancocelesti first place

Date: Sunday, November 16, 1952 Venue: Stadio Torino, Rome Fixture: Lazio Roma 1-0 Lazio win the derby thanks to a Bettolini header

Date: Sunday, November 17, 1929 Venue: Stadio Rondinella, Rome Fixture: Lazio Cremonese 6-0 Ziroli and Rier play the violin with hat-tricks and trounce hapless Cremonese

Match In Focus

Date: Sunday, November 12, 1972 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Roma Lazio 0-1

The derby finally was going to be a massive game. 85,000 spectators, completely sold out and a new record in ticket sales. Lazio were top of the table after five games together with Milan, Inter and Roma.

Lazio were immediately in danger when in the 5th minute Felice Pulici went to catch a Walter Franzot cross but fumbled. Fortunately, Franco Nanni managed to save on the line.

The Biancocelesti slowly took control of the game but Roma went close to scoring in the 22nd minute when Ciccio Cordova took a free kick, pass to Valerio Spadoni who gave the ball a big whack that shaved the post to Pulici’s left.

In the 34th minute Nanni received the ball in the Roma half, he dribbled past Cordova and Elvio Salvori and then from outside the box let go a missile of a shot which ended in the top right-hand corner. A fantastic goal and one that has since stayed in the history of the club. Fans have learnt to call the shot “lo scaldabagno” (water heater), indicating a massive shot. It would later be repeated by Cristian Ledesma in a derby on December 10, 2006.

The Giallorossi disappeared from the game and the Biancocelesti could have scored again immediately, but Luciano Re Cecconi fumbled his final ball control. This was followed by a Giorgio Chinaglia shot parried by the keeper, a Mario Frustalupi free kick and a Renzo Garlaschelli whack that ended on the wrong side of the net.

The second half opened with Alberto Ginulfi having to stop a Chinaglia shot and three attempts from Pierpaolo Manservisi in the first seven minutes. Nanni almost doubled in the 60th minute, Manservisi continued to shoot whenever possible and Re Cecconi again missed a chance towards the end. One minute from time Franco Peccenini saved an almost certain goal on a Garlaschelli shot.

A great win. Lazio dominated and could have scored two or three more goals. They were now top with Inter.

In Memory: Luigi Milano

Luigi Milano was born in Alessandria on July 6, 1913. He began his career in his home town and played there from 1932 to 1936.

For the 1936-37 season Lazio had decided to invest heavily and signed three players from Alessandria: Umberto Busani, Giovanni Riccardi and Milano. He stayed four years in the capital and the Biancocelesti’s best result came in his first year with a second place. Lazio were top after the first half of the season but then lost ground in the second half, only to come back towards the end and obtain a historic second place. The other seasons were not so good for the Biancocelesti (8th, 9th and 4th) but Milano gave an excellent contribution. In the end he made 119 appearances with one goal.

In 1940 he signed for Napoli and stayed for three years. Alas, in his second, Napoli were relegated so he played his final year in Serie B. After a brief parenthesis in 1944 playing for the wrong side of the Tiber, he went back to Naples in 1945 but made only one appearance. His last professional year was at Cesena where he was player-manager.

Once he stopped playing, he was manager for a season at Ternana but then left football altogether.

Milano played four games with the Italy B team scoring one goal.

He died in Alessandria on November 12, 1990.

Milano was a great midfield player, able to read the game like no other. He was always in the right place at the right time, a rare quality.

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