Laudrup, Michael (Copenhagen, Denmark, 15/6/64)
After a couple of good seasons while “parked” at Lazio this talented forward came to Juventus in 1985. He went on to play more than 100 games for the Bianconeri and picked up the league title in his first season in Turin. A notable dribbler, he also racked up a decent tally of goals during his six seasons in Italy.
Law, Denis (Aberdeen, Scotland, 24/2/40)
Although a legend of the British game his imprint in Italy was much lighter. Signed for a then record fee between an English and Italian club of £110,000 by Torino in 1961 he did not enjoy the defensive approach of the Italian game at the time and lasted just one season. It proved to be an eventful one, however, including a car crash which seriously injured teammate Joe Baker. By the summer of 1962, however, both parties were happy for him to go back to Manchester United for another record fee of £115,000.
LAZIO (Founded: 1900. Stadio Olimpico - Capacity: 81,903)
Until recent times Lazio were one of Italian football’s greatest under achievers, but three Coppa Italias, a Cup-Winners’ Cup and their second Scudetto in the last ten years have turned their history around. The Biancocelesti were one of the first sides from south of Genoa to make an impact in the Italian game as they reached successive championship finals in 1913 and 1914 only to highlight the gulf still existing between north and south as they suffered heavy defeats. The club enjoyed sustained Serie A status in the formative years of Italian football and throughout the 1930s they were always in the top flight and enjoyed some good seasons thanks to the goalscoring prowess of Silvio Piola. He scored 143 League goals for the club that is a target nobody looked like coming close to until the arrival of Beppe Signori with over 100 strikes in the 1990s. But despite having one of Italy’s most potent goalscorers a real League challenge failed to emerge with their best finish a second place in 1937. After the war Lazio enjoyed up and down fortunes but did secure the Coppa Italia with a win over Fiorentina in 1958. But as was to prove a consistent theme in Lazio’s history this success was followed by failure. The club slumped into Serie B in 1961. They spent the following years bobbing back and forwards before the glorious 1973-74 campaign that brought their first League title. The attacking force of Welsh-Italian Giorgio Chinaglia along with Renzo Garlaschelli and Luciano Re Cecconi gave the club their finest hour. But in typical style their European campaign the following year proved a fiasco and by 1980 the club were relegated for their part in a match fixing scandal. Lazio reached their lowest ebb in 1987 when they sat perilously close to relegation into Serie C that they only avoided in the play-offs. It was time for someone to turn their fortunes around and the following season they returned to Serie A and were soon bought over by millionaire banker Sergio Cragnotti who flooded cash into the club. It eventually bore fruit with a second title in 2000 but, once again, financial collapse followed and they were forced to sell many of their best players just a few seasons later.
LECCE (Founded: 1908. Stadio Via del Mare - Capacity: 40,800)
Until the 1970s they were largely unheard of in Italian football’s upper reaches but their most successful spell came between 1988 and 1991 when the stayed three seasons in Serie A and managed a ninth place finish in 1989. They do not boast many famous names but perhaps their most illustrious player was Pietro Virdis the grey haired striker who made his name with Milan, or Argentinian midfielder Juan Barbas who played five seasons with the club. Bouncing up and down divisions they have been promoted to Serie A no fewer than six times and have been permanent residents in the top division for the last four seasons.
LECCO (Founded: 1910. Stadio Rigamonti-Ceppi - Capacity: 4,977)
This club’s very brief glory days came with three Serie A seasons in the 1960s. They avoided relegation in 1961 before dropping to Serie B the next season and then made another brief reappearance in 1966-67. It was around this time that the club from near Como enjoyed two quarter-final appearances in the Coppa Italia but since then they have stayed close to the bottom of Italian football and spent much of the 1990s in Serie C2.
LEGNANO (Founded: 1913. Stadio Giovanni Mari - Capacity 7,500)
A small side from near Milan they finished bottom of Serie A in their only three seasons in the top flight in 1931, 1952 and 1954. Their most famous alumni are goalkeeper Angelo Cameroni who made one appearance for Italy in the 1920s and left-winger Emilio Caprile who played two internationals in 1948 scoring a goal in both appearances. In recent times Legnano have been strugglers in the bottom divisions.
Leidholm, Nils (Valdemarsvik, Sweden, 8/10/22)
The “Baron” had a big influence on Italian football both as player and Coach throughout a lengthy career. A skilful playmaker and goalscorer in the midfield he formed a frightening strike force with countrymen Gunnar Gren and Gunnar Nordahl at Milan. In 359 Serie A games for the Rossoneri he totalled some 81 goals and picked up four Italian championships. It is a mark of the Swede’s quality as a player that he was almost 40 by the time his adventures with Milan came to an end and even late into his thirties he helped guide his country to the World Cup Final against Brazil in 1958. He played his last season with Milan in 1960-61 but was quickly put onto the backroom staff and was Coach by 1964. He followed this with spells at the helm of Verona, Monza, Varese and Fiorentina but his biggest successes were reserved for his return to Milan and a memorable time at Roma. He had the honour of giving Paolo Maldini his debut and taking the Rossoneri to their tenth title, which entitled them to put a gold star on their shirts, in 1979 and then won Roma only their second Scudetto in 1983. His apparently cool exterior was ideal for the excessive pressure of Italian football and this probably explains his longevity in the game both as Coach and player.
Lentini, Gianluigi (Carmagnola, 27/3/69)
Most noted as being the world’s most expensive player at a cool £13m when he went from Torino to Milan in 1992, his career stalled after an explosive start. He caught the eye in the Torino ranks as an exciting attacking midfielder with an eye for goal but a move to Milan and a near fatal car crash seemed to put a halt to his progress as he fell out of first team contention for club and country. His playing days then tumbled down the Italian set up to Atalanta, back to Torino and then Cosenza but there were always flashes of his undoubted quality.
Levratto, Virgilio (Carcare, 26/10/04 - Died 1968)
A powerful left-winger and steady goalscorer he played for Genoa just after their glory days came to an end in the late 1920s. His only trophy was a Coppa Italia win with Vado in 1922 but he did have an illustrious career with Italy that brought him 28 caps and 11 goals. He finished his playing days with Lazio and then Savona.
Libonatti, Julio (Rosario, Argentina, 5/7/01 - Died 1981)
One of the pioneering foreign stars of Italian football from 1925 to 1938 his ancestry guaranteed him a game for the Azzurri. The striker was signed from Newells Old Boys by Torino at the time when Juventus were snapping up all the South American stars and scored 148 goals in 239 Serie A games for the Granata. This catapulted him into the Italian national team where his 15 goals in 17 matches were an impressive return. He also played for Genoa and Rimini before retiring from the game in 1938.
Lindskog, Bengt (Malmo, Sweden, 25/2/33)
Attacking midfielder who played for Udinese, Inter and Lecco during an eight season stay in Italian football striking 71 goals along the way.
LIVORNO (Founded: 1915. Stadio Armando Picchi - Capacity: 19,801).
This proud little Tuscan side boast 14 seasons in Italy’s top division. During the formative years of Serie A from 1929 onwards the boys from the coastal town of Leghorn were regular fixtures near the top of the Italian football tree. Indeed, their most glorious moment came in 1943 when they came within a point of taking the last championship before the war. By far the club’s most successful player was attacking midfielder Mario Magnozzi who played no fewer than 26 times for his country while with the club. The port city side spent much of recent times in lower divisions but a steady rebuilding of their reputation culminated in historic promotion in 2004 and an amazing return season with hometown bomber Cristiano Lucarelli ending as Serie A’s top scorer.
Locatelli, Ugo (Toscolano Maderno, 5/2/16)
A steady left-sided midfielder he was a World Cup winner in 1938 with the Azzurri who he played for on 22 occasions. A good crosser of the ball and hard worker he played lengthy spells with both Inter and Juventus although his career started closer to home with Brescia. It was while with the Milanese giants that he picked up the two championships to his credit. And he was also a winner of Olympic gold in the 1936 games in Berlin.
Lodetti, Giovanni (Caselle Lurani, 10/8/42)
For many years he was Gianni Rivera’s right hand man in the midfield with both Milan and Italy. A real motorman he was able to break up the opposition’s attacks and also propel himself into the penalty area to get the occasional goal. He played more than 200 league games for the Rossoneri in the 1960s at a time when they won the League, European Cup and World Club Cup and was also part of the victorious Italy set up at the European Championship in 1968. He collected 17 caps and two goals with the Azzurri and also played at Sampdoria, Foggia and Novara as well as Milan.
Loik, Ezio (Fiume, 26/1/19 - Died 1949)
One of the most impressive player’s of the Great Torino side which died in the air crash at Superga his career seemed almost inseparable from that of another legend, Valentino Mazzola. They shared the same birthday and first caught the attention of the Italian football world at Venezia before moving to Torino and helping to create a side that dominated the game. A right-sided attacking midfielder with great vision and a thunderous shot he struck 62 goals in 160 Serie A games for Torino and four goals in nine appearances for his country before meeting his tragic end.
Lojacono, Francisco (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12/12/35)
Another “Oriundo” who made it into the Italy team this talented attacking midfielder came to Vicenza from San Lorenzo in 1956. He then enjoyed spells with Fiorentina, Roma, Sampdoria, Alessandria and Legnano where he collected over 100 goals in total. He also appeared eight times for the Azzurri and scored five goals for them.
Lombardo, Attilio (Santa Maria La Fossa, 6/1/66)
An exciting winger with a steady goal supply he emerged at Cremonese before Sampdoria pounced for him in 1989 by which time most of his hair had gone. A distinctive figure, “Popeye” signed for Juve in 1995 but a serious injury blocked his progress for both club and country. He then tried his luck with Crystal Palace before coming home to enjoy an Indian summer with Lazio and Sampdoria.
Lorenzi, Benito (Borgo a Buggiano, 20/12/25)
A stunning striker for Inter in the early 1950s his goals propelled them to two championship wins and earned him 14 Italy caps. Quick, strong and with good close control he picked up the nickname “Poison” such was his deadly nature in the penalty box. He also played for a season with Empoli, Alessandria and Brescia.
Losi, Giacomo (Soncino, 10/9/35)
A stalwart of the Roma defence of the 1950s and 1960s with 386 League games he enjoyed a brief spell in the Italy set up between 1960 and 1962 when he played 11 games for the Azzurri. In his time in the capital he picked up one UEFA Cup and a couple of Italian Cups and just two league goals.
LUCCHESE (Founded: 1905. Stadio Porta Elisa - Capacity: 11,523)
This provincial side from Tuscany have enjoyed eight seasons in Italy’s top flight and a semi-final slot in the Coppa Italia in 1922. Their first appearance in Serie A was also their best as they achieved a respectable seventh place finish in 1937 on equal points with Inter and ahead of arch-rivals Fiorentina. But they slumped down the table the following year narrowly avoiding relegation – which did hit them by 1939. During this time they boasted the Italian national team goalkeeper Aldo Olivieri who became their most capped player surpassing Scottish-Italian striker Giovanni “Johnny” Moscardini. Lucchese returned to Serie A in 1947 and managed five successive seasons before play-off defeat by Triestina knocked them out of the division never to be seen again. Recent years have seen them mount the occasional challenge for a return to the top but the poor quality of their ground is a reason why many believe promotion to Serie A would be an expense they could ill afford.
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