21 June 1987 - 21 June 2008

21 June 1987. Lazio plays Vicenza, standing two points above in the table and hence direct opponent in the battle to avoid relegation, for one result only: the victory. Any other outcome would condemn the biancocelesti to the Serie C; given the difficult financial situation, the relegation would have probably meant the end of the oldest football club of the capital city. It was a desperate situation. The Olympic Stadium was completely full with 80.000 people, for the all-times record for a Serie B match; all of them full of hopes, wearing the colours of the sky, ready to support the team to the victory.

Lazio attacks continuously, but despite the efforts, the results remains stuck on a goalless draw, as the minutes go by. The Vicenza’s goalkeeper has already made some great saves when the first half is over. In the second half, things do not change, with Lazio attacking and Vicenza defending, in an Olimpico transformed into a pandemonium by the Lazio fans’ incessant support. With only a few minutes to go the Lazio players looked very tired and too nervous: sadly, all the hopes are fading; in the minds of the fans, now discouraged, the beautiful memories of a passion that would have stopped accompanying them in a few minutes.

Nine minutes to the final whistle: “Poli... ecco che ottiene il pallone da Acerbis, glie lo restituisce, la palla è sul destro... crossa per Gregucci anticipato in area di rigore... liscia il pallone... attenzione... recupera Esposito, c’è Podavini... prova ancora il destroooo Fiorini, Fioriniiiii GOOOOOOOOOOL IL GOOOOOOOOOOOL, IL GOL DI FIORINI, IL GOL DI FIORINI E LA LAZIO E’ IN VANTAGGIO AL 37°”. The Olimpico explodes like never before, an endless roar accompanies the celebrations of the players right under the Curva Nord, many burst into tears, many find themselves literally lifted by the crowd, to touch the ground again meters away from their initial position. As the minutes go by, the Olimpico’s roar fades, replaced by the sirens of the ambulances arrived in the aid of those whose heart could not take that incredible emotion (luckily, none of them would die). One step from the abyss, Lazio was able to rise again. An incredible goal ad the end of one of the most important matches in the Lazio history; an indescribable joy for both the fans and the players, as the scene of Fiorini leaving the pitch in tears, hugged by team-mates and fans who had got into the pitch, clearly shows.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKF0sg7cgZw&feature=related

For the great majority of supporters who were so lucky to be there, that day remains the best as Lazio fans; the most dramatic and exciting of our history, a day when the Laziali tasted the most intense feeling of their lives, something you cannot compare even to the two scudetti. Was it by a mere chance that Giuliano scored that goal, when all hopes had faded? Maybe no.
Giuliano never scored many goals, but he was the symbol of tenacity and generosity, of that “non mollare mai” that we all know today. It’s a beautiful story, the one of Giuliano, with the saddest possible end on 5 August 2005, at the age of 47. Thank you forever, Bomber Fiorini.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np8WQWQacg4

Great stuff Conn, absolutely brilliant reading. Fiorini will forever be in our hearts. Grazie Giuliano!

Ciao giuliano

Forever in our hearts!

Grazie Giuliano Fiorini!

Grazie Giuliano Fiorini!

grazie fiorini!

thx conn for the great post

Its heroes like him we should remember, not overpaid wankers like Jimenez.

Grazie Giuliano!