The defeat of Parma leaves heavy consequences, interrupting a series of eight consecutive useful results for Lazio Marco Baroni. Tardini’s 3-1 brought to the surface some early season difficulties, starting with the trivial goals conceded at the start of the half. The two balls lost by Rovella at the start of the first half and by Gila at the start of the second half are reminiscent of some errors seen in the first outings of the season. From the goals conceded in Udine to the home goals against Venice and Verona, mistakes that Lazio had set aside and which all resurfaced together in Parma. The lack of luck in front of goal did the rest, the two saves on the line in the first half scream revenge and would certainly have changed the match. A combination of bad luck and episodes that are ominously reminiscent of what we saw on Thursday in the Europa League against Ludogorets. And if two clues don’t prove it, the hope is that the same clue doesn’t arrive on Thursday in the Italian Cup against Napoli.
Lazio, the anger kept hidden after the match
The other aspect that yesterday’s defeat has in common with Thursday’s European draw is the number of dubious episodes that affected the two matches. The disallowed goal against Rovella screams revenge, it is ominously reminiscent of those “field contacts” where it has often been said that “VAR cannot intervene because the extent of the contact is judged by the referee on the pitch”. A variation of the protocol so dear to Antonio Conte which is the exact opposite of what was seen on Thursday in the Europa League, where the referee, although called to VAR, decided that the extent of the contact was not a penalty. Lazio didn’t want to raise their tone after the match, Barons he focused on the performance and on the mistakes made by his team. Mistakes that he will not be able to make in the next two matches against Napoli. Between the Italian Cup and the championship now things are really starting to get serious. Lazio begins a terrible cycle and does so after a heavy defeat like that of Tardini.