Where was Lazio?
Game 34 , Serie A
Saturday, May 6 2023
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
Milan Lazio 2-0
Milan comfortably beat Lazio on a day where the Biancocelesti were completely absent
The team
Maurizio Sarri was not be able to play neither Danilo Cataldi nor Matias Vecino, both injured. The Lazio manager had always said that Marcos Antonio could not play together with Luis Alberto and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic because the midfield would be too “light”. But this was exactly what he did for the game against Milan, hence taking a gamble.
Milan might have been thinking about the Champions League semi-final but that day was a must win for them if they wanted to qualify for the following years top tier European competition.
The match
One could immediately see that Milan was on another planet compared to Lazio. Physically and psychologically, the Rossoneri were by far superior to the Biancocelesti who were slow and suffered the Milan pressing.
After ten minutes Rafael Leo had to give up and was replaced by Alexis Saelemaekers.
In the 17th minute Theo Hernandez crossed into the box, Olivier Giroud attempted a volley which went high. Milan scored immediately after. Ivan Provedel passed to Nicolò Casale, ball to Marcos Antonio pressed by Ismael Bennacer who stole possession. One-two with Giroud, 1-0 for Milan.
This goal should have been disallowed since Giroud had a foot on the line of the penalty box before Lazio took the goal kick. VAR failed to notice.
The light in the Lazio attack, very dim right from the start, failed to show any spark and in the 29th minute Milan scored their second. Mike Maignan to Theo Hernandez just outside the Milan box, long run towards the Lazio area, once he was just outside he shot, the ball was deflected by Alessio Romagnoli and went over Provedel.
Milan Lazio 2-0, game over.
By game over, we really meant game over. De facto nothing else happened. Milan were content with the result, Lazio were completely absent. There were just two things worth noting. A header by Malick Thiaw, who had substituted Simon Kjaer in the interval, off a corner just a little high in the 65th minute and Lazio’s sole goal opportunity in the 95th minute when Toma Basic could not make a decent contact off a Pedro assist.
That was the worst league game Lazio had played that year. Milinkovic-Savic should not have started, he had a bad day and created a disequilibrium in Lazio’s midfield. Luis Alberto woke up when it was too late. Ciro Immobile had a long way to go to get back into a decent form. The only player, from Lazio’s side, who tried to do something was Felipe Anderson, but it was like preaching in a desert.
Who played for Milan
Maignan, Calabria (46` Kalulu), Tomori, Kjaer (46` Thiaw), Theo Hernandez (80` Ballo Tourè), Krunic, Tonali, Messias, Bennacer, Leao (11` Saelemaekers); Giroud (68` Rebic)
Substitutes: Tatarusanu, Mirante, , Adli, Brahim Diaz, Bakayoko, Origi, Pobega, Vranckx, Gabbia, De Ketelaere
Manager: Pioli
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic (56` Lazzari), Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj (68` Pellegrini), Milinkovic-Savic (68` Basic), Marcos Antonio, Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson, Immobile (81` Cancellieri), Zaccagni (56` Pedro)
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Rapuano
Goals: 17’ Bennacer, 29’ Theo Hernandez
Bookings: Romagnoli, Marusic, Calabria, Casale, Pellegrini, Thiaw
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