This is getting to be ridiculous

Season 2025-26

Game 20, Serie A

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Lazio Fiorentina 2-2

A blatantly clear penalty denied and a ridiculous one awarded to Fiorentina deny Lazio the win

Source Lazio Wiki

The team

Maurizio Sarri was forced yet again to reinvent the first eleven since he did not have Adam Marusic and Tijani Noslin suspended. Manuel Lazzari was placed on the right and Matteo Cancellieri as centre-forward with Gustav Isaksen on the right. Tonight was also the last game for Matteo Guendouzi who had been sold to Fenerbahce.

First half

Lazio played a great first half. In the 14th minute, Cancellieri to Toma Basic who tried a shot from a difficult angle, David De Gea saved. A minute later Isasken on the counter attack but his pass to Cancellieri was too soft and the Fiorentina defence saved into corner. Danilo Cataldi took it, Mario Gila had a header saved on the line by Nicolò Fagioli. The ball went back to him and he tried a shot, saved again by Rolando Mandragora. Another corner, Alessio Romagnoli had his shot parried by Fagioli again, Gila had the chance to shoot but was fouled by Marin Pongracic with a clear grab of the jersey. It should have been a penalty, it wasn’t given.

Basic then got injured and was substituted by Matias Vecino.

The Biancocelesti tried hard to get a goal but their evident limits in attack did not allow them to score.

Second half

Fiorentina, non-existent in the first 45 minutes, were much better in the second and Lazio were forced on the backfoot. But in the 52nd minute the Biancocelesti scored. Luca Pellegrini crossed from the left, the Viola cleared but Cataldi got to the ball first, controlled it, did a one two with Vecino, and in front of De Gea put the ball into the net. Fantastic goal!!!

Lazio thought they had won the match and lost concentration allowing Fiorentina to almost equalise immediately. In the 56th minute splendid Fagioli assist to Robin Gosens who beat Ivan Provedel. Back to square one.

Fiorentina tried the coup on a Fabiano Parisi volley but Provedel saved. Sarri took off a disappointing Isaksen and sent in Pedro. The Spaniard in the 73rd took a free kick, cross into the box, Gila headed the ball towards the goal, splendid save from De Gea, Romagnoli ready for the tap in but he shot at the keeper.

In the 84th minute Manor Solomon to Albert Gundmundsson in the box. Gila tried a sliding tackle but was not able to reach the ball, the Iceland International looked for the contact and fell. Referee decided not to decide and left it to the Var who declared it to be a penalty. Hardly any contact at all, it was the Viola forward who looked for the foul. It should not have been given, as a matter of fact he should have been given a yellow card for diving. And Var should not have intervened since it was not an obvious refereeing mistake. But when it comes to Lazio anything is possible. Gundmundsson took the spot kick and it was 2-1 for the Viola.

Lazio tried a last second forcing. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Guendouzi to Mattia Zaccagni, fouled in the box by Pietro Comuzzo, this time there was no doubt, penalty to Lazio. Pedro took the responsibility and made it 2-2. In scoring he became the oldest player ever to score for Lazio at 38 years of age.

Game over. Another ridiculous refereeing performance against Lazio, Serie A has become a joke.

Who played for Lazio

Provedel, Lazzari (79' Hysaj), Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini, Guendouzi, Cataldi, Basic (29' Vecino), Isaksen (71' Pedro), Cancellieri, Zaccagni

Substitutes: Mandas, Furlanetto, Nuno Tavares, Provstgaard, Rovella, Belahyane, Serra

Manager: Sarri

Who played for Fiorentina

De Gea, Dodô, Pongracic, Comuzzo, Gosens (68' Ranieri), Mandragora, Fagioli, Ndour (68' Solomon), Parisi (90'+2' Nicolussi Caviglia), Piccoli (60' Kean), Gudmundsson (90'+2' Pablo Marì)

Substitutes: Lezzerini, Christensen, Sohm, Kospo, Fortni, Kouaidio, Kouamé

Manager: Vanoli

Referee: Sozza

Goals: 52’ Cataldi, 56’ Gosens, 89’ Gudmundsson (pen), 90+5’ Pedro (pen)

Bookings: Pongracic (F), Gosens (F), Cancellieri (L), Parisi (F), Fagioli (F), Zaccagni (L), Pellegrini (L), Nicolussi Caviglia (F)