Things Go Spectacularly Wrong for Lazio
By: Martha | August 15th, 2007
You know that Champions League qualifying match Lazio had last night? Well, it didn’t turn out quite as they’d hoped, and now they’re heading into the away leg down an away goal, with two suspensions and a possible ban from Europe on the horizon. Other than that, things went great. (If Luciano Zauri was right and the whole season really is “tied to this game,” they’re in deep, deep trouble.)
Despite dominating the bulk of the game, Lazio went down 1-0 to Dynamo Bucharest in the 20th minute and had to fight like hell to equalize against a keeper — former Fiorentina property Bogdan Lobont — who apparently had the game of his life, saving not only a million shots from live play, but also a PK by Tommaso Rocchi. Lazio tied the match on a second-half goal by Massimo Mutarelli, after which things went all to hell: Valon Behrami picked up a stright red 20 minutes from time, and Mutarelli himself was sent off for a second bookable as the game drew to a close. Oh, and they also lost two starters to injuries during the match.
Away from the pitch, things weren’t much better, with violent clashes outside the Olimpico and racist chants inside it, where a small group of Lazio supporters called the Romanians “gypsies” (Yes, you’ve heard that before.). The chants are being investigated and, given UEFA’s new, tougher anti-racist stance, the club could be facing something a lot worse than a second-leg match in a hostile ground: Suspension from Europe is a very real possibility.
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Comments
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Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazzzyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooo
Classless scumbags.
(Seriously, come back with something after that sort of performance on and off the pitch. I dare you.)
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United States
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haha well at least mexes got what he wanted…
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Canada -
I’m actually not surprised that Lobont played so well. He was very solid when he replaced Frey for Fiorentina in the spring of 2006 when Frey was injured.
He just left because, you know, he wasn’t going to play much because he’s not quite as good as Frey. Frey, I’d argue, though I’m horribly biased, is probably as good a keeper who is not first choice for his national team (largely because the coach is an ass clown) as there is in the world. Lobont can get it done.
To get back to the topic, let’s say Lazio and other clubs who show this type of behavior at games get banned from European competition. Does it actually stop the violence and racist chanting?
I’d applaud UEFA for taking these drastic steps, because up until now, the pittance they have fined clubs for this type of behavior is not only not a deterrent, they might as well not even do it at all.
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United States -
From what I remember the fines to this point have been pitifully small; the only financial impact has been the revenue lost by playing matches behind closed doors.
If European bans happen, SURELY it will make a difference. Right? If nothing else, it seems like clubs would feel at liberty to freely ban/punish/whatever “supporters” who insist on repeating behavior that costs their clubs money, status, and spots in major tournaments. Up until now, there’s been little more than lip-service against that sort of thing by Italian clubs (at least as far as I know).
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United States -
Nothin’
You got NOTHIN’.
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United States -
Jeez, Chris, at least let Inter fuck something up spectacularly before you start taunting. You’re about to explode waiting for the season to start, aren’t you?
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United States -
Yeah, Martha, I’d like to think that taking this kind of action would work for UEFA. However, I’m not entirely sure whether or not it would work.
I’ve watched a few episodes of the show The Real Football Factories International – which is on in the UK and it is up on youtube, and it includes an episode on Italian teams (Roma, Lazio, Juve and Atalanta, I think are the subjects). Basically it is an examination of the culture of supporters groups/ultras and the way they are organized, and what happens during games. It is really interesting and shows some of the great and awful things about world football.
However, I think it is unclear to what extent the clubs are responsible for/have control over the actions of the ultras. Clearly, it has been established that clubs can do a better job of security in and around the grounds on matchdays, and hopefully after last year Italian clubs will improve on this.
But, as far as the chanting, I’m not all that sure what can be done. Clearly it is reprehensible, but I’m wondering exactly how this could be controlled? Does Lazio just not let any of the Irriducibili into the Olimpico? I just don’t see this as feasible.
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United States -
I’m probably being too naive here, but I just keep thinking that the reason the ultra groups exist is BECAUSE of the clubs. I know they take on lives of their own, but my impression is that love for the club remains at the core. If that’s true, it’s difficult for me to wrap my mind around Ultras preferring to continue with racist chants if punishments become so severe they actually handicap the club. Like I said, though, perhaps I”m being naive.
(I was going to point to the example of how England has successfully removed racism from their grounds almost entirely, but I imagine the starting point — at least in terms of relationship between clubs and fans — was different there.)
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United States -
Kinda. But when it comes to Lazyo, Inter and sometimes Juve, I allow myself to sometimes throw out juvenile comments and blatant one line digs. Just because.
And if you don’t like that, well, you’re stupid.
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United States -
Yeah, I’m no expert on English Football’s success combating hooliganism, but I know that a large part of that had to do with changes to the stadiums. They went to “all-seater” grounds and no more general admission terraces. I haven’t been in a few years, but I believe the curvas at the Olimpico and at the Artemio Franchi in Florence, plus some areas in other grounds are still set up like this.
Also it cannot be ignored that in England the ticket prices rose dramatically in an attempt to combat this problem. Like I said, Italy needs to focus on improved safety in and around the stadiums. I think no general admission areas + CCTV + more properly trained security will make a big difference.
I hope the ticket prices are not jacked up too high, because that would be a damn shame. I went to games at lots of stadiums in Italy and never paid more than the equivalent of $10 or 15 at the most for my seat. And as a college student, I don’t think I would have been able to afford it otherwise.
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United States -
Goddamnit it’s August and we’re already hearing crap about racist chants at an Italian ground. Christ, almighty. I don’t know if anything will happen, I mean UEFA have don’t have much of a nutsack. Not sure they did anything about the monkey chants DaMarcus Beasley got earlier this year when playing for Glasgow Rangers. We live in a sick, sick world.
Rocchi missing the penalty could be the key point in Lazio’s season. I heard Ledesma say if Lazio weren’t in the CL this year he was going to find a new place to play. Jackass. Man, I’m pissed.
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United States -
If UEFA do what they normally do, they’ll impose small fines and gives the clubs involved stern looks. We’ll see — these two incidents are real tests, because UEFA have claimed they are really focusing on racism now, and will crack down on clubs whose supporters exhibit offensive behavior. We shall see.
(And yes, the world is fucked up. The absence of that sort of shit in the US is one of the sporting things we have to be proud of.)
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United States -
Hey Martha, this is Adam from CL blog. As far as match is concerned, one Dinamo player also got sent off. Do u really think of European ban for Lazio? Club’s finances are worst hit by such hardcore groups if bans take place.
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India -
Hey Adam — I saw that about the Dynamo player, but they’re not being investigated, right? Just the suspension? I think UEFA have to boot someone from Europe in order to have their new “hard-line” policy taken seriously. And in my dream-world, clubs who take massive financial hits due to the behavior of fans will hopefully be more liberated to deal with them aggressively, which might lead to changes. But, like I said several comments above, I may be being frightfully naive in believing that.
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United States -
[...] Massimo Mutarelli and Valon Behrami, both of whom were sent off during an ugly first leg match, marred by racism and fan violence (not to mention a missed Lazio penalty and three red cards). In a sold-out, wildly hostile ground [...]
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[...] there was the trouble during their Champions League qualifying match against Dynamo Bucharest, when supporters fought outside of the Olympico, and Lazio ultras aimed [...]
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United States
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