ROME, ITALY – MAY 25: A general view of SS Lazio fans during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico on May 25, 2015 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Despite it taking place 101 years ago, Lazio may finally get to celebrate the 1914-15 league title the team and fans felt was deserved over a century ago. 30,000 Lazio fans signed a petition for the Italian Football Federation to review the 1914-15 season and decide whether or not Lazio should win their third Serie A/Italian Football championship. A final ruling is expected August 4.

This came about because the 1914-15 Italian Football Championship abruptly ended when Italy entered World War I. Instead of league play, Italy determined their champion via an elaborate group stage tournament that paired teams based on geography. And then the winners for each region would meet up to determine the Italian champions. Genoa had won in the northern region and Lazio had won in central and south Italy. The two teams never got to meet for the championship and after World War I ended, it was determined that Genoa was the better team and was simply awarded the championship in 1919.

Lazio’s petition for the title would make them and Genoa co-champions. If they are successful, Lazio would tie their rival Roma as a three-time Serie A champion (1973-74, 1999-2000).

Lazio has recently been in the news for some bad reasons. Fan dissatisfaction among the current ownership and the team resulted in just 11 season tickets being sold on the first day they went on sale for this upcoming season. It’s unknown whether or not Lazio will get to celebrate a title 101 years after the fact, but given how this summer has gone, I’m pretty sure the fans will take it.

[BBC]

 

 

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them.

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