2003–04 S.S. Lazio season
Encyclopedia
S.S. Lazio
was still a club in turmoil during the 2003–04 season, and it was the last year before the squad was almost completely depleted of quality.
thanks to a great team spirit during the difficult 2002–03
season. The Capitalia
bank still controlled the club, and it tried to enhance the sale value of the club by bringing in Udinese
midfielders David Pizarro
and Martin Jørgensen
to the club. The deal fell through however, due to a couple of undisclosed Lazio players refusing to move to Udinese as exchange for the transfer-targets. The reasoning behind the deal from Capitalia was that a great Champions League result should help them find an investor, and therefore the departure of the club in the Group Phase nearly got to be end of the club.
Prior to the season had Capitalia released enough funds to sign Demetrio Albertini
, Luciano Zauri
and Roberto Muzzi
to the club, but at the same time key midfielder Diego Simeone left for Atlético Madrid, which turned out to be a blow for the midfield play in the 2003–04 season.
Lazio started off greatly, fending off newcomers Lecce
4–1 and Sampdoria
2–1 away from home. Talk of a title challenge faded afterwards, when the play got really inconsistent, and the goalscoring was not at the same level as in the year before. Expected star striker Claudio López had his worst season with the club, while Bernardo Corradi
scored his accustomary ten goals. Jaap Stam
and Stefano Fiore
were the players who got the most fanfare, especially Fiore, following a sensational display against Juventus
, when Lazio won the Coppa Italia.
In the end, despite beating both Juventus and Internazionale
at home in the league, Lazio came up short in taking a vital fourth place that would have enabled the club to receive income from Champions League play. It ended up sixth, following a defeat at the hans of Brescia
and an inspired Roberto Baggio
. Inter clinched the final Champions League spot, and Lazio was doomed to sell several key players during the summer, if the club would even make it through.
Luciano Zauri
Siniša Mihajlović
Duccio Innocenti
Guerino Gottardi
Giuseppe Favalli
Massimo Oddo
Paolo Negro
Fernando Couto
Jaap Stam
Christian Manfredini
Demetrio Albertini
Ousmane Dabo
César Dejan Stanković
Stefano Fiore
Giuliano Giannichedda
Fabio Liverani
Sérgio Conçeicão
Claudio López Bernardo Corradi
Roberto Muzzi
Simone Inzaghi
Claudio De Sousa
Alfonso Delgado
10 César 6 Simone Inzaghi
6 Stefano Fiore
6 Claudio López 4 (1)
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
was still a club in turmoil during the 2003–04 season, and it was the last year before the squad was almost completely depleted of quality.
Season
Lazio had qualifed for the UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
thanks to a great team spirit during the difficult 2002–03
2002–03 S.S. Lazio season
S.S. Lazio suffered from a season of financial turmoil in 2002–03, but in spite of all troubles finished fourth in the Serie A, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in the process.-Season:...
season. The Capitalia
Capitalia
Capitalia was an Italian banking group headquartered in Rome. Capitalia was formed in July 2002 in a merger of Banca di Roma, Bipop-Carire, and Banco di Sicilia...
bank still controlled the club, and it tried to enhance the sale value of the club by bringing in Udinese
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
midfielders David Pizarro
David Pizarro
David Marcelo Pizarro Cortés is a Chilean football Midfielder. Pizarro. He also plays for the Chile national team, for which he won the Bronze medal at 2000 Summer Olympics, at Sydney...
and Martin Jørgensen
Martin Jørgensen
Lars Martin Jørgensen , more commonly known as Martin Jørgensen, is a Danish professional football player, who currently plays for Danish club AGF Aarhus. Jørgensen has played 101 matches and scored 12 goals for the Denmark national football team. He is the only player that has represented Denmark...
to the club. The deal fell through however, due to a couple of undisclosed Lazio players refusing to move to Udinese as exchange for the transfer-targets. The reasoning behind the deal from Capitalia was that a great Champions League result should help them find an investor, and therefore the departure of the club in the Group Phase nearly got to be end of the club.
Prior to the season had Capitalia released enough funds to sign Demetrio Albertini
Demetrio Albertini
Demetrio Albertini is a former professional Italian football midfielder who spent most of his career with AC Milan of the Italian Serie A, winning five Serie A titles and three UEFA Champions League titles with that club...
, Luciano Zauri
Luciano Zauri
Luciano Zauri is an Italian footballer who plays for Lazio.-Atalanta:Zauri made his debut in Serie A in the 1996–97 season with Atalanta in a 4–0 loss at home to Roma....
and Roberto Muzzi
Roberto Muzzi
Roberto Muzzi is an Italian retired football striker. During his career, he has played for several Italian clubs including A.S. Roma, Pisa Calcio, Cagliari Calcio, Udinese Calcio, and S.S...
to the club, but at the same time key midfielder Diego Simeone left for Atlético Madrid, which turned out to be a blow for the midfield play in the 2003–04 season.
Lazio started off greatly, fending off newcomers Lecce
U.S. Lecce
Unione Sportiva Lecce or simply U.S. Lecce is an Italian football club based in Lecce, Apulia who play in the Italian Serie A. After being crowned Serie B champions in 2009–10, the team successfully managed to avoid relegation in 2010-11....
4–1 and Sampdoria
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
2–1 away from home. Talk of a title challenge faded afterwards, when the play got really inconsistent, and the goalscoring was not at the same level as in the year before. Expected star striker Claudio López had his worst season with the club, while Bernardo Corradi
Bernardo Corradi
Bernardo Corradi is an Italian footballer, who is currently a free agent. He was a former Italian international.-Early career:...
scored his accustomary ten goals. Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam
Jakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...
and Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore is an Italian football manager and former player, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. He is currently in charge as manager technical area of Cosenza in Serie D.-Parma and early years:...
were the players who got the most fanfare, especially Fiore, following a sensational display against Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
, when Lazio won the Coppa Italia.
In the end, despite beating both Juventus and Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
at home in the league, Lazio came up short in taking a vital fourth place that would have enabled the club to receive income from Champions League play. It ended up sixth, following a defeat at the hans of Brescia
Brescia Calcio
Brescia Calcio , known simply as Brescia, is the largest football club in the Lombard city of Brescia, where it was founded in 1911.In the 2009–10 season, in the return leg of the Serie B playoff final, they defeated Torino 2-1 at home , returning to Serie A after a 5-year absence...
and an inspired Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio is a retired Italian footballer. Widely regarded as one of the finest footballers of his generation, Baggio won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1993. He is the only Italian player ever to score in three World Cups. He is also one of the top 5 all-time...
. Inter clinched the final Champions League spot, and Lazio was doomed to sell several key players during the summer, if the club would even make it through.
Defenders
Francesco ColonneseFrancesco Colonnese
Francesco Colonnese is an Italian former football defender.- Club :He began his career in Potenza - where he played from 1989 to 1991 - before moving first to Giarre Football and then to Cremonese, where he made 66 appearances.In the 1994-1995 season, Colonnese was bought by AS Roma to strengthen...
Luciano Zauri
Luciano Zauri
Luciano Zauri is an Italian footballer who plays for Lazio.-Atalanta:Zauri made his debut in Serie A in the 1996–97 season with Atalanta in a 4–0 loss at home to Roma....
Siniša MihajlovićSiniša Mihajlovic
Siniša Mihajlović is a Serbian football manager and former player. He was in charge of Serie A club Fiorentina since June 2010 to November 2011....
Duccio Innocenti
Duccio Innocenti
Duccio Innocenti is an Italian footballer.-Career:Innocenti started his career at Fiorentina. After spent seasons with Pontedera of Serie C2 and Lucchese of Serie B, he was signed by Bari in summer 1998...
Guerino GottardiGuerino Gottardi
Guerino Gottardi is a retired Swiss-Italian football player. After joining Lazio in 1995 from Neuchatel Xamax, Gottardi was often used as a "supersub" and was instrumental in Lazio's 1998 Coppa Italia victory...
Giuseppe Favalli
Giuseppe Favalli
Giuseppe Favalli is a retired Italian footballer who played as a defender for Serie A clubs Lazio, Internazionale and Milan.-Cremonese:He started his career with then-Serie B squad Cremonese...
Massimo Oddo
Massimo Oddo
Massimo Oddo, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Lecce, on loan from Milan. He was part of the Italian squad that won the 2006 FIFA World Cup.-Club career:...
Paolo Negro
Paolo Negro
Paolo Negro is a former Italian footballer. He could either play as a central defender or a right back.-Club career:...
Fernando Couto
Fernando Couto
Fernando Manuel Silva Couto, OIH is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a central defender.During a 21-year professional career, he played in a number of top teams in Portugal, Spain and Italy , appearing in nearly 600 official games and winning the national league title of each country,...
Jaap Stam
Jaap Stam
Jakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...
Midfielders
Christian ManfrediniChristian Manfredini
Christian José Manfredini Sisostri, known as Christian Manfredini, is an Ivorian-Italian footballer. Manfredini currently plays for Italian club Sambonifacese in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.-Personal life:...
Demetrio Albertini
Demetrio Albertini
Demetrio Albertini is a former professional Italian football midfielder who spent most of his career with AC Milan of the Italian Serie A, winning five Serie A titles and three UEFA Champions League titles with that club...
Ousmane Dabo
Ousmane Dabo
Ousmane Dabo is a retired French footballer.He has previously played for Rennes, Internazionale, Vicenza, Parma, Monaco, Atalanta, Lazio, Manchester City and New England Revolution. He has represented France three times at full international level...
César Dejan StankovićDejan Stankovic
Dejan Stanković is a Serbian association football player who plays for the Italian Serie A side Inter. He captained the Serbian national football team until 2011, when he announced his retirement from international football...
Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore is an Italian football manager and former player, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. He is currently in charge as manager technical area of Cosenza in Serie D.-Parma and early years:...
Giuliano Giannichedda
Giuliano Giannichedda
Giuliano Giannichedda is a former Italian footballer. He is a midfielder, but can also play as a defender. He is well known for his tackling and stamina.-Career:...
Fabio Liverani
Fabio Liverani
Fabio Liverani is an Italian football coach and former midfielder of partial Somali descent, currently working as youth coach of Genoa.-Club career:...
Sérgio Conçeicão
Sérgio Conceição
Sérgio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceição is a retired Portuguese footballer who played mostly as a right winger.Known for his speed and strength, combined with his good dribbling and crossing skills, and fairly accurate shooting. During his extensive career, he played for ten different teams, in five...
Attackers
Claudio López Bernardo CorradiBernardo Corradi
Bernardo Corradi is an Italian footballer, who is currently a free agent. He was a former Italian international.-Early career:...
Roberto Muzzi
Roberto Muzzi
Roberto Muzzi is an Italian retired football striker. During his career, he has played for several Italian clubs including A.S. Roma, Pisa Calcio, Cagliari Calcio, Udinese Calcio, and S.S...
Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi is a retired Italian professional footballer who played as a striker.During his professional career, he played for a host of clubs, namely Lazio, where he remained for more than one decade, being used irregularly....
Claudio De Sousa
Claudio De Sousa
Claudio De Sousa is an Italian footballer in the role of a striker. He is currently unattached.-Career:De Sousa made his Serie A debut with Lazio in 2005 and then was signed by Messina De Sousa from Lodigiani later that year, but sold to Torino in co-ownership deal...
Alfonso Delgado
Roberto Alfonso Delgado
Roberto Alfonso Delgado is a Spanish footballer currently plays for Pergocrema.Statistics accurate as of match played 3 August 2010-External links:*...
Matches
Top Scorers
Bernardo CorradiBernardo Corradi
Bernardo Corradi is an Italian footballer, who is currently a free agent. He was a former Italian international.-Early career:...
10 César 6 Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi is a retired Italian professional footballer who played as a striker.During his professional career, he played for a host of clubs, namely Lazio, where he remained for more than one decade, being used irregularly....
6 Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore
Stefano Fiore is an Italian football manager and former player, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. He is currently in charge as manager technical area of Cosenza in Serie D.-Parma and early years:...
6 Claudio López 4 (1)
Results summary
Third qualifying round
- LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
-Benfica 3-1 - 1-0 Bernardo CorradiBernardo CorradiBernardo Corradi is an Italian footballer, who is currently a free agent. He was a former Italian international.-Early career:...
(16) - 2-0 Stefano FioreStefano FioreStefano Fiore is an Italian football manager and former player, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. He is currently in charge as manager technical area of Cosenza in Serie D.-Parma and early years:...
(52) - 2-1 SimãoSimão SabrosaSimão Pedro Fonseca Sabrosa, OIH , commonly known as Simão , is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. in Turkey, mainly as a left winger - he can also play as a forward - with dribbling and set piece skills as primary attributes.Having played in his country for two of the three...
(63) - 3-1 Siniša MihajlovićSiniša MihajlovicSiniša Mihajlović is a Serbian football manager and former player. He was in charge of Serie A club Fiorentina since June 2010 to November 2011....
(83)
- Benfica-LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
0-1 - 0-1 César (26)
Group stage
- Beşiktaş-LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
0-2 - 0-1 Jaap StamJaap StamJakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...
(37) - 0-2 Stefano FioreStefano FioreStefano Fiore is an Italian football manager and former player, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the wing. He is currently in charge as manager technical area of Cosenza in Serie D.-Parma and early years:...
(77)
- LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
-Sparta Prague 2-2 - 0-1 Libor SionkoLibor SionkoLibor Sionko is a Czech footballer currently playing for Sparta Prague.- Early career :He previously played for Austria Vienna, Grazer AK, Sparta Prague, Banik Ostrava and Rangers. Playing successfully for Sparta in the Czech League and UEFA Champions League, where Sparta in two occasions , got...
(27) - 0-2 Karel PoborskýKarel PoborskýKarel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:...
(36) - 1-2 Simone InzaghiSimone InzaghiSimone Inzaghi is a retired Italian professional footballer who played as a striker.During his professional career, he played for a host of clubs, namely Lazio, where he remained for more than one decade, being used irregularly....
(46) - 2-2 Simone InzaghiSimone InzaghiSimone Inzaghi is a retired Italian professional footballer who played as a striker.During his professional career, he played for a host of clubs, namely Lazio, where he remained for more than one decade, being used irregularly....
(61 pen)
- ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
-LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
2-1 - 0-1 Simone InzaghiSimone InzaghiSimone Inzaghi is a retired Italian professional footballer who played as a striker.During his professional career, he played for a host of clubs, namely Lazio, where he remained for more than one decade, being used irregularly....
(39) - 1-1 Frank LampardFrank LampardFrank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
(57) - 2-1 Adrian MutuAdrian MutuAdrian Mutu is a Romanian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Cesena.-Argeş Piteşti:Mutu began his professional career with his home club Argeş Piteşti...
(65)
- LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
-ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
0-4 - 0-1 Hernán CrespoHernán CrespoHernán Jorge Crespo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Parma in the Italian Serie A. Crespo has scored over 300 goals in a career spanning 18 years. His honors include an Olympic Games silver medal, a Copa Libertadores, an English Premier League title and three Scudettos. He was topscorer in...
(14) - 0-2 Eiður GuðjohnsenEiður GuðjohnsenEiður Smári Guðjohnsen is an Icelandic footballer who currently plays for AEK Athens F.C. in the Superleague Greece. He has previously played for Premier League club Chelsea and FC Barcelona of Spain, having made his name with Bolton Wanderers. He was the captain of the Iceland national team until...
(70) - 0-3 Damien DuffDamien DuffDamien Anthony Duff is an Irish footballer who plays for Premier League team Fulham and the Republic of Ireland national football team. With Ireland he has participated in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and helped his team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012...
(75) - 0-4 Frank LampardFrank LampardFrank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
(80)
- LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
-Beşiktaş 1-1 - 0-1 Daniel PancuDaniel PancuDaniel Gabriel Pancu is a Romanian footballer who currently plays for Liga I club Rapid Bucureşti.-Career:Pancu began his playing career at FC Politehnica Iaşi. He made his debut in the Romanian First Division in 1995. In the winter of 1996 he was transferred to Rapid Bucureşti for the sum of US$...
(45 pen) - 1-1 Roberto MuzziRoberto MuzziRoberto Muzzi is an Italian retired football striker. During his career, he has played for several Italian clubs including A.S. Roma, Pisa Calcio, Cagliari Calcio, Udinese Calcio, and S.S...
(55)
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1-0 - 1-0 Marek KinclMarek KinclMarek Kincl is a former Czech footballer and used to be one of the forwards of the SK Rapid Wien, an Austrian football team. He has also played for the Czech Republic national football team. He currently plays for football team Bohemians Prague.-External links:*...
(90)