#4 Lazio (1999-00)
Despite winning the Serie A crown in 1974, The Eagles were denied participation in the 1974-75 European Cup competition as they had to serve a 12-month ban following crowd trouble in the previous season’s UEFA Cup. The Biancocelesti then had to wait for a quarter of a century to finally make their appearance in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
The Italian club were drawn alongside Dynamo Kyiv, Bayer Leverkusen and Maribor in the first group stage and Lazio proved far too good for their opponents as they finished top of the group with 13 points. The Italian side beat Dynamo Kyiv and Maribor both home and away and played out two 1-1 draws against Leverkusen.
What awaited Lazio in the second stage was a tricky group made of Chelsea, Feyenoord and Marseille but the Italian side once again topped the group to advance to the quarters where they locked horns with Valencia.
The Spanish club dismantled Lazio 5-2 in the first leg and won the tie 5-3 on aggregate drawing the curtains over the Italian side’s debut season in the Champions League, which is certainly one to savour for the Lazio faithful.
