Lazio vs. Roma: the time when…
Every Rome derby is a story in itself. The standings, the time or the form of the two sides are not important: when Lazio and Roma face off, time stops. There’s those who dream, those who rejoice, those who are moved and those who don’t forget. Ahead of the derby on Sunday 13 April at 20:45 CEST, here are some “The time when” moments that have stayed in the memory of a city and a stadium divided in two, painted in white and light-blue in one half and then red and yellow in the other.
The time when… Montella shone and Totti put on a show
10 March 2002. It ended as Lazio 1-5 Roma. A derby to forget for fans of the Biancocelesti, but a dream for the Giallorossi. Montella scored four goals, a rare occurrence in a city derby: two goals with his left foot (one inside the area and the other outside) and then two headers. Francesco Totti completed the scoring with a delicious chip and then celebrated by showing his undershirt to the camera with the inscription “Sei Unica”, which went down in history and became a cult classic.
The time when… Klose painted the sky in light blue and white
16 October 2011. A tense, balanced and classic Derby. Roma went ahead through Osvaldo but then Lazio equalised through a Hernanes penalty and continued to push until the final moment. In the 93rd minute, the Olimpico erupted: Miroslav Klose, the highest scoring player in World Cup history and champion of the world with Germany, was assisted by Matuzalém to give Lazio one of the best wins in their recent history. Tears and hugs in the Curva Nord: Roma beaten at the death and the German solidified his place in the hearts of all Lazio fans.
The time when… Mazzone ran under the Curva Sud
27 November 1994. Lazio 0-3 Roma, Zeman and Mazzone faced off in their respective dugouts. At the end of the match, the show was not stolen by a player, but by the spontaneity of the Roma coach who exploded with joy and ran under the Curva Sud: arms raised and the sign made with three fingers to indicate the number of goals scored. An instinctive gesture, an icon of the derby which wrote itself into Roman folklore. A run that still remains in history (just like the unforgettable one in Brescia vs. Atalanta on 30/09/2001).
The time when… Lazio relegated Roma to Serie B
25 February 1951. The derby finished 2-1 to Lazio and the result weighed heavily. At the end of the season, Roma were relegated for the first and only time in their history (only Inter have done better than the Giallorossi when it comes to the number of relegations to Serie B). They finished just one point behind Padova and the loss in the derby weighed heavily on their season in the end: Maestrelli and Cecconi scored in a decisive derby.
The time when… the Curva Sud unveiled a “Ti Amo” banner
23 October 1983. Football is also romantic. During the presentation of the teams, the Curva Sud unveiled a huge banner, simple but effective and impactful, with the writing “Ti Amo”. A poetic, emotional and unique piece of choreography which entered into the history books of Italian football. Roma went on to win 2-0 that day thanks to goals from Nela and Pruzzo, and that derby became known as “Il derby del Ti Amo”.
The time when… the “surprising ones” scored
In the derby, the surprising heroes often decide the result. For example, on 10 December 2006, Mutarelli scored in Lazio’s 3-0 win with a comfortable tap-in. Or Behrami, who scored on 19 March 2008 to make it 3-2 in the 92nd minute and send the Lazio fans into hysterics. Roma have also had some unexpected heroes: Yanga-Mbiwa scored in the 2-1 win on 25 May 2015. Iturbe is another example who put the Giallorossi ahead on the day following Ibarbo’s assist
The time when… Lulić gained legendary status
26 May 2013. Not just any usual derby, but a Coppa Italia final. Lazio and Roma faced off for a trophy for the first time. A tense and historic match. In the 71st minute, the ball fell to Senad Lulić’s feet. 1-0 and a win for Lazio. On 26 May he became a part of Lazio’s history and his name will remain in the hearts of all Lazio fans forever.
To the next one!
The next chapter will be written on Sunday 13 April, at 20:45 CEST. A new page to add to a story which is almost a century old. Because in Rome, the derby isn’t just played: it’s lived, it’s breathed, it’s dreamt. (Photo Getty Images)