Suche
Mein Konto
Lazio squanders European Cup chance against decimated Lecce!
Lazio Rome loses to Lecce on the last matchday of Serie A and misses the European Cup. Lecce secures relegation.
Lazio squanders European Cup chance against decimated Lecce!
In a dramatic Serie A final on May 25, 2025, Lazio lost 1-0 to US Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico. The victory ensured Lecce stayed in the top Italian league, while Lazio missed out on their desired place in the European Cup, much to the disappointment of the fans.
The game started quite uneventfully before picking up momentum just before halftime. In the 43rd minute, Lassana Coulibaly gave Lecce the lead with a clever goal. After winning the ball and a precise combination with Nikola Krstovic, the ball found its way into the net. Lecce's luck didn't seem to last long, however, because in stoppage time in the first half (45+2), Balthazar Pierret received a traffic light card for a tactical foul and had to leave the field. This meant that the guests only had ten people on the pitch in the second half.
A tough game
Although Lazio tried to equalize, Lecce put in a remarkable defensive performance that withstood the pressure from the home team. In the 90th+3 minute, Lazio defender Alessio Romagnoli was sent off with a red card for a foul on Mohamed Kaba, which further aggravated the situation for Lazio.
With the result, the Romans lost their chance to play internationally. In the parallel game, Hellas Verona won against Empoli 2-1, which sealed the club's relegation from Tuscany. The last matchday of the 2024/25 season was marked by highs and lows, both for Lecce, which celebrated relegation, and for Lazio, which sank into the disappointment of missing out on participation in the European Cup.
Lineups and team news
Before the game, Lazio was without Patric and Manuel Lazzari for some key players. Mattia Zaccagni and Luca Pellegrini were back from suspension, but Pellegrini did not start. Nuno Tavares, who was fit, played in defense. Lazio's likely lineup was4-2-3-1: mandas; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares; Guendouzi, Rovella; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos.
Lecce had Wladimiro Falcone in goal and a defensive line-up4-2-3-1with Guilbert, Bashirotto, Gaspar and Gallo. In addition, Coulibaly and Ramadani provided stability in midfield, while Krstovic was supposed to set the dangerous tone in the offensive.
The last matchday was therefore of great importance not only for the fans, but also for the players themselves. For Lazio, after many attempts to qualify for the European Cup, next season remains an important challenge, while Lecce feels a great relief by staying in the league. More Serie A statistics are available kicker.de to read.