LAZIO, THE DERBY TABOO IS OVER!
KLOSE DECIDES AT THE LAST BREATH.
REJA DEBELS THE CABALA: "I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN VICTORY ANYMORE".
VOTE: 7
Lazio won, in the last breath of a beautiful and vibrant match, making the dream of all fans come true. Because getting the better of all-time rivals with a goal in the 94th minute is simply the best. Lazio rejoices and especially Edy Reja rejoices, who debunks the derby cabala (he had lost 4 out of 4) and responds to Totti in the most perfidious way possible. With Klose's goal, the Biancoceleste coach literally exploded with joy, with a run under the North curve that even cost him an expulsion (by the way, can someone explain to us what a rule like this is for!?). Once the taboo has been debunked, Reja will finally be able to enjoy the praise of the Lazio squad, and perhaps who knows, start over a very complicated relationship up to now: "I hope that's the case - said the coach after the match - even if I have to say that the fans they've always been close to us." Maybe, but some time ago, speaking of the Lazio environment, he spoke of a "rotten frame"...
Who knows what Reja must have thought when Osvaldo, after a few minutes, had joked with the defense of his Lazio, celebrating the goal with a shirt with the words "I purged you too", a remake of the one worn by Totti many years ago ( the captain's read "I purged you again"). It seemed like yet another crooked derby for the Biancocelesti, then the wind changed at the beginning of the second half, when a foul by Kjaer (however questionable) gave Lazio a penalty, as well as numerical superiority. At that point, on one to one (Hernanes) and with the extra man, there was only one team on the pitch. Stekelenburg's goal seemed haunted: crossbar by Klose, post (wonderful!) by Cissè, right-footed shot by Lulic removed from the crossroads. It seemed over, then the German panzer, who until a few days ago seemed even unable to play, took advantage of a great assist from Matuzalem and did what he was taken for. Entering the history of Lazio by right.
JUVE, ONE MORE STOP IN THE PROVINCE!
IN VERONA THE ONLY EMOTION IS THE DEL PIERO POST.
THE REFEREE DE MARCO DISCONTENTS EVERYONE.
VOTE: 5,5
“We won't make a mistake in approaching the race, I'm sure of that”. This is what Antonio Conte had said on the eve of the match against Chievo, perhaps because he felt the need to exorcise what has become a problem at Juventus. Last year Delneri's team was said to be big with the big ones and small with the little ones, and it certainly wasn't a compliment. Because if you beat Inter and Milan and then lose points in the provinces, you don't go very far. Conte knows this well, which is why he is working a lot on his mentality, and in this sense some improvements have been seen in Verona. At Bentegodi Juve started well, full of energy, spirited and motivated. Then, the limits of a still imperfect team emerged, as Conte admitted in the post-match: “There's still a lot to work on here – said the Juventus coach – I know it well, the important thing is that if let the others also remember, including journalists”. Juve's problem was in the lack of flashes of its champions: bad Vucinic, Pepe and Vidal, terrible Krasic (where are those who called him "the new Nedved"!?), the only emotions were given by the eternal Del Piero. Entering the final, Alex hit a sensational post, which could have given the Old Lady three very heavy points. It would have been too much for an excellent Chievo, which can no longer be considered a surprise. Compact, mangy and tactically perfect, Di Carlo's team harnessed Juve, even risking winning the match. To tell the truth, Chievo was about to score a goal already in the first half, but a mistake by referee De Marco (Thereau's foul on Pirlo wasn't there) stopped everything. From then on, the referee did all kinds of things, displeasing the hosts (who also recriminated on two penalties) and guests (Cesar was sent off in the first half). Honor to Chievo, Juve to be reviewed, which confirms once again that they have limits away from Turin (in the 3 away games played so far, they have only collected one victory).
ROME, THE FIRST DERBY OF THE "NEW ERA" IS BITTER.
THE YELLOW-REDS PAY FOR KJAER'S BIG NAIVENESS.
LUIS ENRIQUE INCREDIBLE: "MAMMA MIA, WHAT A SIN!"
VOTE: 5
When a derby ends like this, there isn't just the (unbridled) joy of the winner. The other side of the coin is the ferocious disappointment of those who have lost, and find themselves having to restart after a considerable blow. In Rome, the derby is worth double, for better or for worse. And so, it will be interesting to understand how Luis Enrique's team will react, starting from the next match against Palermo. And to think that the match against Lazio had started well, very well indeed. Not even in his dreams on the eve of the Spanish coach had he imagined finding himself ahead after a few minutes (Osvaldo, on his 4th consecutive league goal) with the possibility of managing the match. But perhaps this is the point: this Rome is not made to control a match, it's simply not in its DNA. And so the Giallorossi tried to double up, touching it several times in the first half but leaving inviting spaces for their opponents. Which at the beginning of the second half hit. The episode that changed the match was undoubtedly the penalty whistled against Kjaer, with consequent expulsion. Reviewing the images, one perceives a (light) touch on Brocchi launched at speed, just enough to concede the shot from the penalty spot and show the careless Dane the red card. Why did Luis Enrique choose him and not Burdisso, who until yesterday had always played with Heinze? But shouldn't the pair of central defenders be changed as little as possible? Questions that remain such, also given the ostracism of Luis Enrique to answer technical questions. Mind you, a game lost in the 94th minute always has an element of bad luck, but yesterday's Roma took a step back from the one they saw before the break. Raising alarm now would be detrimental, but it is clear that this derby resets the credit accumulated so far by Luis Enrique. That after just two weeks on his laurels, he will be forced to return to the trenches.
