Bumper times for Lazio

uefa.com looks back at the achievements of S.S. Lazio as part of our series of histories of the 18 clubs directly involved in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

When Luigi Bigiarelli founded S.S. Lazio in 1900 he wished to create a club that would be an inspiration to Italian sport. Yet until the arrival of Swedish coach Sven-Göran Eriksson in 1997/98, Lazio had won just one Coppa Italia and an isolated league title. However, recent history has seen a dramatic turnaround culminating in an historic treble in their centenary 1999/00 season.

Prolific Piola
After efforts to merge with the newly-formed AS Roma were resisted in the late 1920s, Lazio took a major step forward by competing in the first national championship in 1929/30 and then swapping their Rondinella home for the larger PNF stadium. The decade was characterised by the arrival of Silvio Piola, who scored 143 goals for the club and remains the most prolific striker in Serie A history.

Cup success
The club had to wait until the 1950s for their first silverware. After moving to the Olimpico stadium in 1953, Lazio won the Coppa Italia in 1958, defeating AC Fiorentina 1-0 in the final. The 1960s did not start so well, though, with relegation to Serie B in 1960/61.

Title triumph
After another relegation at the start of the 1970s, Lazio enjoyed an upturn in fortunes. Having just missed out on a first title in 1972/73, they were deserved champions a year later. Two years after that triumph, however, Lazio mourned the death of midfield player Luciano Re Cecconi, shot dead in a jewellery shop after a practical joke went wrong. Relegation came in 1979/80 and the club yo-yoed between the divisions until promotion in 1987/88.

Eriksson arrives
February 1992 heralded the arrival of new president Sergio Cragnotti and the following year brought European qualification for the first time in 16 years. True success was now around the corner with the arrival of Eriksson.

Treble denied
The Swede led the club to their second Coppa Italia victory in 1998 and Lazio also took the Italian Super Cup. They were denied a treble when they lost 3-0 in the UEFA Cup final against Internazionale FC but the following season won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, beating RCD Mallorca 2-1, then adding the UEFA Super Cup for good measure.

Famous achievement
Lazio were now on a roll and captured their second Serie A title in 1999/00, pipping Juventus FC by a point on the final day. They also won the Coppa Italia and the Italian Super Cup to seal a marvellous treble. However, it would not last and Eriksson departed in 2001.

Back in big time
Roberto Mancini, Eriksson's former assistant, eventually took charge in May 2002 and guided his side to the semi-finals of the 2002/03 UEFA Cup, where they lost to FC Porto. In domestic action, Lazio reached the cup semi-finals and finished fourth in Serie A to clinch a Champions League place.