Lazio still believe
The Biancocelesti win a very difficult game coming from behind thanks to Immobile and Parolo
The season so far
A slow start for Lazio. Until October Lazio had shown potential but also threw away a few points here and there. They were not playing well either. Immobile was scoring a lot as usual but it was not working. Even the Europa League campaign had started badly.
At the end of the first half in the match at home against Atalanta, Lazio were losing 3-0. The season was practically a write off, and it was only October. But then something triggered in the players’ heads. Lazio managed to draw the game and start a winning streak of eleven consecutive games, including a win in Milan against AC Milan for the first time since 1989, against Juventus and Napoli plus winning the Super Coppa against Juve in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. A show of strength that Lazio fans had not seen since the early 2000s, that included two 5-1’s against Sampdoria and Spal.
After beating Inter 2-1, the Biancocelesti won at Genoa and at home against Bologna and took the lead in campionato even though Juventus still had one game in hand (the Bianconeri would eventually win that game and have a one point lead). Triumph was around the corner, but the outbreak of Covid stopped the world as well as football.
Serie A returned in late June with a number of changes. The last 12 games of the season would be played in 6 weeks, behind closed doors and with 5 substitutions possible per team divided into a maximum of three slots per game, with the exception of substitutions between the first and second half. A revolution because it meant that the clubs with the deepest squads would have an advantage.
Lazio had lost Lucas Leiva and Senad Lulic through injury and the long break took its toll on the Biancocelesti who struggled physically against a more in form Atalanta, in the first game since the lockdown. Up 2-0 after only ten minutes, Lazio crumbled and lost 3-2. The difficulties were obvious even in the game prior to today’s. Against Fiorentina the Biancocelesti were 1-0 down but managed to recover and win thanks to a penalty from Ciro Immobile and a great goal by Luis Alberto.
The fans had no longer any scudetto illusions despite the fact that Juventus were only four points ahead. The important thing was for Lazio to qualify for the Champions League. Next up Torino.
The match: Tuesday, June 30, 2020, Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Turin
The two teams faced each other in an almost empty stadium due to Covid restrictions. In the 4th minute there was a free kick in Lazio’s half on the left. Simone Verdi crossed in; Marco Parolo tried to clear but de facto just headed the ball across the box. Nicolas Nkoulou tried a shot at goal, Ciro Immobile intercepted with a hand, penalty. Andrea Belotti had no problem with the spot kick, Lazio already behind.
The Biancocelesti were in total confusion, they already had to deal with rather poor physical condition and now they were forced to face an uphill challenge. In the 22nd minute Luis Alberto found the gap for Immobile but King Ciro’s shot went over the crossbar. Immobile had another opportunity in the 37th minute but again his shot went high.
At this point Lazio had total control of the game and cross after cross into the box, but the Torino defence did not concede much. Francesco Acerbi did actually score off a free kick from Luis Alberto but he was offside.
The second half opened with the Lazio equaliser. In the 48th minute, classic Luis Alberto assist for the Lazio centre forward who ran into the box on the left between Nkoulou and Lyanco and put the ball on the far post.
Lazio doubled their efforts and there was a lot of pressure on the Torino defence. In the 62nd minute Stefan Radu from the left crossed into the box for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic but the big Serb was slightly late and could not get a good impact on the ball.
In the 73rd minute Jordan Lukaku dribbled past Cristian Ansaldi on the left and crossed into the box for Milinkovic-Savic on the far post. Big whack directly at Salvatore Sirigu who parried, Manuel Lazzari tried to pass to Immobile but the Torino defence got in the way. The ball was outside the box perfectly lined up for Parolo who took a shot, deflection by Bremer, goal. Torino 1 Lazio 2.
In the 83rd minute opportunity for Joaquin Correa but the ball went just wide. Torino tried a forcing, but Lazio comfortably brought home the three points.
Who played for Torino
Sirigu, Lyanco, Nkoulou, Bremer (80' Millico), De Silvestri (59' Ansaldi), Meitè, Rincon, Lukic (80' Djidji), Aina (70' Edera), Verdi (59' Berenguer), Belotti.
Substitutes: Ujkani, Rosati, Izzo, Ghazoini, Singo, Greco, Adopo, Zaza.
Manager: Longo
Who played for Lazio
Strakosha, Patric (89' D. Anderson), Acerbi, Radu, Lazzari (89' Bastos), Milinkovic-Savic, Parolo, Luis Alberto, Jony (59' Lukaku), Caicedo (59' Correa), Immobile.
Manager: Farris (Inzaghi was suspended for this match)
Referee: Massa
Goals: 5’ Belotti (pen), 48’ Immobile, 73’ Parolo
What happened next
After this match Lazio had to abandon all hopes of scudetto as in the next five games they managed only one point. But at least they then reached fourth place thanks to three wins in a row and therefore qualify for the Champions League for the 2020-21 season.
Immobile scored 36 goals in Serie A, equalling the Italian record set by Gonzalo Higuain. This was enough for him to conquer the European Golden Boot.
Lazio 2019-2020
Competition | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals Scored |
Serie A | 38 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 79 |
Coppa Italia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
Europa League | 6 | 2 | - | 4 | 6 |
Super Coppa | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 |
Total | 47 | 28 | 6 | 13 | 92 |
Top five appearances
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
45 | 36 | 2 | 6 | 1 | |
44 | 37 | 2 | 4 | 1 | |
44 | 38 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
43 | 37 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
41 | 36 | - | 4 | 1 |
Top five goal scorers
Player | Total | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
Ciro Immobile | 39 | 36 | 1 | 2 | - |
10 | 9 | - | 1 | - | |
9 | 9 | - | - | - | |
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic | 8 | 7 | - | 1 | - |
Luis Alberto | 7 | 6 | - | - | 1 |
Let's talk about Patric
Patricio Gabarrón Gil, better known as Patric, was born in Mula on April 17, 1993. After having started his youth career with Real Murcia and Villareal, in 2008 he joined Barcelona. He completed his training and was sent to play with the Barcelona B Team in the Spanish Second Division.
He did rather well and during his second year was called up to the A team and played a Champions League tie against Ajax Amsterdam. However he was never called again and at the end of the 2014-15 season he became a free agent.
At this point he signed for Lazio. In his first year he was seldom used (just 9 appearances) but he gradually cut out some space for himself as he could be played both as right or left back, so in times of trouble he could always be relied on. Not everybody appreciated Patric in the beginning. Too exuberant, too many fouls, not good enough, over confident. These are all faults that in time Patric was able to work on and correct.
When Simone Inzaghi started playing with three men in defence, Patric was tested on the right in the back three and he did rather well, so the Spaniard became a valid alternative. Inzaghi made him a 3-5-2 defender, Maurizio Sarri perfected him even further and he is now the first defensive alternative behind Nicolò Casale and Alessio Romagnoli. One can still see at times that he was not born as a central defender, but he has become solid, experienced, reliable. Furthermore, since he is one of the players who has been at the club longest (9 years and counting), Patric has become a dedicated Lazio supporter and a point of reference.
Lazio Career
Season | Total played (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Champions League | Europa League | Conference League |
2015-16 | 9 | 9 | - | - | - | - |
2016-17 | 21 | 19 | 2 | - | - | - |
2017-18 | 21 | 11 | 1 | - | 9 | - |
2018-19 | 17 | 15 | 1 | - | 1 | - |
2019-20 | 24 (1) | 21 | 2 (1) | - | 1 | - |
2020-21 | 33 | 25 | 2 | 6 | - | - |
2021-22 | 30 (2) | 24 (1) | 2 | - | 4 (1) | - |
2022-23 | 26 | 18 | 2 | - | 4 | 2 |
2023-24 | 29 (2) | 20 (2) | 4 | 5 | - | - |
Total | 210 (5) | 162 (3) | 16 (1) | 11 | 19 (1) | 2 |
Sources
Comments