This Week In Lazio History: August 18-24 | OneFootball

First Serie A games and more European play-offs in the August 18-24 week in Lazio history and we remember the legendary Fernando Saraceni

Matches of the Week

Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Bayer Leverkusen 1-0, Champions League Play-Off Keita breaks Bayer’s defence but will it be enough to go through?

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio IF Elfsborg 3-0, Europa League Playoff Lazio destroy Elfsborg and now the Europa League group phase is just around the corner.

Date: Sunday, August 21, 2016 Venue: Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, Bergamo Fixture: Atalanta Lazio 3-4 Three-zero up at halftime Lazio resist the Bergamaschi’s comeback and hold on for precious win on debut

Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021 Venue: Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli Fixture: Empoli Lazio 1-3 Empoli play better and hit the woodwork twice but Sarri’s Lazio come from behind and win.

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2015 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio Bologna 2-1 Lazio, clearly thinking about the Champions League tie which would take place in a few days, beat Bologna 2-1 but could have scored many more.

Match in focus

Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Fixture: Lazio FC Copenhagen 4-1, Champions League Playoff

To get into the Champions League Group phase Lazio had to play Danish Champions FC København over two legs. The first had been played on August 8 and Lazio lost 1-2 due to two defensive errors in the last twenty minutes. Lazio had seemed far superior to the “Løverne” (The Lions) so there was confidence for this evening’s decisive return match.

A 40,000 crowd on a hot August evening hoped to see Lazio continue to be in the European big time.

Lazio played with new signings Gaizka Mendieta and Stefano Fiore. For the Danes the match winner of the away game, Heine Fernandez, was on the bench.

The first half was disappointing. Lazio were slow and confused and seemed to be missing Juan Sebastian Veron terribly. Fiore was nowhere to be seen, Mendieta and Karel Poborsky kept on getting in each other’s way and Diego Simeone was playing too deep. Lazio had some chances however, in the 13th minute a Hernan Crespo shot was saved well by Magnus Kihlsted while in the 23rd the keeper blocked a Claudio Lopez effort with his feet. The Danes played with a solid 4-4-2 and never ran excessive risks. Just as worrying for Lazio was an injury to Paolo Negro who was forced off after 35 minutes and replaced by Beppe Favalli. So, halftime Lazio 0 FC København 0. Lazio would have to liven up if they wanted to play with the big guns (and pick up the 40 billion Lire)

There were no changes during the break but soon after the restart Lazio scored. The home side finally, with Lopez, put a low through ball behind the slow Danish central defenders and Crespo was suddenly one-on-one with the keeper, he went past him with some difficulty and a dose of luck and then slotted the ball into the empty goal. Lazio 1 FC København 0.

Any hope of Lazio taking control was soon disappointed as they pulled back conceding territorial possession and as series of corners to the Scandinavian visitors. In the 61st minute more injury problems for Lazio as Sinisa Mihajlovic limped off and was replaced by Francesco Colonnese. Eight minutes earlier the Biancocelesti had already taken a subdued Poborsky off, for a more energetic Lucas Castromán.

Luckily only two minutes after the Serb’s injury Lazio scored again. In the 63th minute Simeone took a freekick quickly to Favalli on the left wing and his low cross was brought down by Crespo just inside the area and beautifully struck into the top hand corner. Lazio 2 FC København 0.

Two minutes later it seemed all over as Lazio made it three. With some help from the referee, who cleverly dummied the ball in midfield perhaps confusing the Danes, Mendieta then went forward and squared to Lopez for an easy finish. 3-0 and all over? Far from it.

The Danes made three substitutions and ten minutes from time pulled one back. Their best player Zuma, after a one-two at the edge of the box, let off a cracking low finish just inside the post, giving Angelo Peruzzi no chance. A great goal which meant with one more the Copenhageners would qualify on away goals.

Lazio felt the tension and went through an edgy last ten minutes. The Lions had no major chances but forced a few corners which were potentially dangerous, especially seeing their average size.

Fortunately in the 89th minute Lazio were spared further suffering and scored a fourth. The Danes were totally concentrated on going forward and left acres of space at the back. Mendieta, from inside his own half, saw Fiore on the other side going forward, and put the ball across into space. The Italian midfielder was suddenly completely alone just inside the Danes half, he took the ball forward and beat the keeper coming off his line with a top hand corner shot. Lazio 4-FC København 1 and final score.

A flattering, unconvincing but vital win for Lazio who qualified for the Champions League. Not without difficulty but over the two legs the Romans had proved to be far superior to the Danish Champions. They would however have to improve to be competitive against better opposition (CL is certainly the right place to find it).

In Memory: Fernando Saraceni

Fernando Saraceni is a Lazio legend. One of their players in the early days, he was part of the team that reached the National Championship finals in 1913, 1914 and 1923. A forward, later on in his career he progressively moved back to defence.

Born in Rome on January 20, 1891, Saraceni, known as Cecè, started playing for Lazio at the age of 16 and he was one of the players who won the three games in one day.

Legend has it that Lazio were supposed to play a game in Tuscany in June 1908. The Biancocelesti arrived in Pisa the day before the game. On the next morning, while busy being tourists, Lazio were approached by the organizing committee and asked to play a game against Lucca. Lazio won 3-0 just before lunchtime.

While the team were eating, they were asked to play a second extra match, this time against Spes Livorno. 4-0 for Lazio with a Saraceni double.

Time for a rest? No, because here came Virtus Juventusque ready for the original scheduled match. The players protested but captain Sante Ancherani told them to stay back in front of the goal and stop all opposition attempts (an early form of “catenaccio”?).

The game was almost over and it was still 0-0. But Ancherani in the dying minutes scored from a Corrado Corelli cross and Lazio won. Ancherani sent a telegram: “Won tournament 3-0, 4-0, 1-0”. No other team in the world has ever won three games on the same day.

Saraceni was little but very fast and had a powerful shot. He was also an excellent athlete, swimmer and long jumper. He won everything that could be won in the centre-south regions those years and was a fan favourite.

He left active sport in 1924 after having taken the Biancocelesti to their third national final. Before he left, he made sure his little brother Luigi would play for Lazio and convinced the club to sign the legendary goalkeeper Ezio Sclavi. He continued to work for Lazio and was one of their directors. In the 1928-29 season, he was manager for ten games.

Fernando Saraceni was one of Lazio’s greats. He played 140 official games and scored 67 goals. He died on August 23, 1956. Diagnosed with cancer, with incredible pain, he committed suicide in the hospital.

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