Name: Giuseppe Lelj
Nickname: "Beppe", "Roccia d'Abruzzo"
Country:
ItalyClub: S.S. Lanerossi Vicenza (1976-1978), A.C. Fiorentina (1978-1980)
Position: *SB
Side: LF/LS
Age: 25-27 years (21/11/1952)
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 76 kg
Attack: 66
Defence: 76
Balance: 82
Stamina: 84
Top Speed: 81
Acceleration: 83
Response: 78
Agility: 76
Dribble Accuracy: 74
Dribble Speed: 72
Short Pass Accuracy: 74
Short Pass Speed: 72
Long Pass Accuracy: 75
Long Pass Speed: 73
Shot Accuracy: 62
Shot Power: 78
Shot Technique: 60
Free Kick Accuracy: 57
Curling: 61
Header: 77
Jump: 75
Technique: 75
Aggression: 78
Mentality: 79
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 79
Injury Tolerance: A
Condition: 8
Weak Foot Accuracy: 4
Weak Foot Frequency: 4
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Early/Peak
CARDS:
P04 - Darting Run
S07 - Marking
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Side - Marking
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Balanced
INFO:
Lelj was a left-back. During his career, he played for Giulianova, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Vicenza, Perugia, Hellas Verona and Reggiana. He had his best time when he played for Lanerossi between 1976 and 1978: 79 matches and 2 goals, a promotion to Serie A and the historical 2nd place in the Italian top league. He had good seasons also at Fiorentina, where he played as well 79 games and scored twice but in two spells, the first in 1974-75, the second between 1978 and 1980. He retired in 1983.
Lelj was a tough defender gifted with a good physique and a great man marking ability. He was capable to stop dangerous wingers like Walter Novellino or Claudio Desolati and had timing of reaction combined with a good heading ability thanks to which he could intercept even fast players like Renzo Garlaschelli. He was brave and never backed off. In fact, from 1976 to 1979 he missed only one game: in an interview he said that he felt like the injuries he had in his early career made him indestructible. He liked to push forward thanks to his dashing speed, supporting the attack with short passes to the wingers or reaching the end of the field to deliver a cross to the box. He didn't dislike being an additional forward, running even for 40 metres − like he did in a game against Pescara − to get in front of the opposing goalkeeper − sometimes using his strength if necessary − and try to score. In a match against Torino, he managed to dribble a great defender like Renato Zaccarelli before delivering a low to the ground cross for Paolo Rossi, showing to have also a good basic technique.