Champions League, Group Stage, Game 3
October 25, 2023
De Kuip Stadium, Rotterdam
Feyenoord Lazio 3-1
Lazio come into the game with wrong attitude and are crushed by Feyenoord
The team
Maurizio Sarri made some surprising changes to the team for the third Champions League tie. In came Nicolò Casale, who has been in difficulty in the first part of the season, and Nicolò Rovella, who suffers strong aggressive midfielders such as those that play for Feyenoord. The rest of the team was fairly logical with Ciro Immobile and Mattia Zaccagni back up front having recovered from their injuries.
First half
The Biancocelesti needed to go onto the pitch with “the eye of the tiger” said Sarri before the game (he actually said something more colourful in Italian and impossible to translate, but that was the sense of his phrase). Instead the team went onto the pitch with a terrified look, and it was easy for the Dutch.
After a few minutes of study, Feyenoord created their first real chance in the 10th minute when Igor Peixao crossed into the box from the left and Santiago Gimenez headed the ball out from an excellent position. Dangerous man the Mexican, last year in the Europa League ties he scored two goals at the Olimpico and the winner in Rotterdam. In the 25th minute he actually scored with the help of a Elseid Hysaj deflection, but he was ruled offside.
In the 31st minute, Casale made a passing error, one-two Calvin Stengs-Mats Wieffer, ball to Gimenez, who moved fast, turned around, and beat Ivan Provedel.
Lazio completely absent, scared of making mistakes, resulting in a wrong psychological attitude against an aggressive team and particularly strong at home.
The goal made the Biancocelesti realise that they could not continue in this way and in the 24th minute had their first chance of the evening. Felipe Anderson crossed in the box, Luis Alberto went for the header but it is not his speciality and the result was too weak and central.
Three minutes of added time and it was essential for Lazio not to concede on the cusp of the first half. In the second minute of added time, Stengs in the box on the far right, ball passed outside and central and in came Ramiz Zerrouki who made it 2-0.
Second half
Sarri took off Rovella and Hysaj and put in Matteo Guendouzi and Manuel Lazzari during the interval. This was not the ideal match for Rovella and it was clear right from the start. After a few minutes even Feyenoord made a change: Marcos Lopez for Bart Nieuwkoop.
In the 51st minute Peixao sprinted forward between Lazzari and Alessio Romagnoli but once in the box kicked the ball into the stands. In the 55th minute in came Taty Castellanos and out went Immobile. Two minutes later Zaccagni on the left went into the box and tried a shot that was parried by Justin Biljow setting up a perfect chance for Castellanos who had a simple tap in. But the Argentinian was a little too far from the ball and could not get a good impact, his shot went over the crossbar.
Quilindschy Hartman had a chance in the 61st minute but Casale managed to deflect the ball into corner. In the 68th minute Pedro came on for Felipe Anderson and two minutes later Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaced Peixao.
In the 74th, the Dutch team made it three. Jahanbakhsh on the left found Quinten Timber near the spotkick unmarked. His shot was miraculously saved by Provedel but Gimenez was ready to slot it in. Goal number five in three games against Lazio.
In the 78th minute in came Danilo Cataldi for Matias Vecino and Luka Ivanusec for Stengs. In the 83rd minute pointless foul on Castellanos by Lopez in the box and penalty for the Biancocelesti. Pedro made no mistake.
Lazio did try to come back into the game as Feyenoord made their last substitution with Lingr for Zerrouki. They had a chance in the third minute of injury time when Romagnoli managed to volley the ball towards the goal following a Luis Alberto free kick but it was well saved by Biljow.
First defeat in this Champions League for the Biancocelesti, completely out of the game and with the wrong attitude.
Who played for Feyenoord
Bijlow; Nieuwkoop (46` Lopez), Geertruida, Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer, Timber, Zerrouki (89` Lingr); Stengs (78` Ivanusec), Gimenez (78` Ueda), Paixao(71` Jahanbakhsh).
Substitutes: Wellenreuther, Lamprou, Beelen, Dilrosun, Van Den Belt, Milambo.
Manager: Slot.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel; Hysaj (46` Lazzari), Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic; Vecino (78` Cataldi), Rovella (46` Guendouzi), Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson (68` Pedro), Immobile (54` Castellanos), Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Sepe, Magro, Pellegrini, Patric, Gila, Kamada, Isaksen.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Stieler (Germany)
Goals: 31’ Gimenez, 45+2’ Zerrouki, 74’ Gimenez, 83’ Pedro
Booked: Rovella (L), Nieuwkoop (F), Gimenez (F), Casale (L), Lopez (F), Hartman (F), Romagnoli (L), Vecino (L), Zaccagni (L), Guendouzi (L), Castellanos (L), Geertruida (F)
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