Alessio Romagnoli has strongly criticized the conditions Lazio had to deal with on Thursday evening. His team finished the Europa League clash with Viktoria Plzen with nine men but still managed to secure the victory: "Makes it even better."
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Lazio secured an epic 2-1 victory against Viktoria Plzen in a match filled with drama and emotion, played on Thursday, March 13, at 18:45.
The trip to the Czech Republic was already expected to be tricky, but no one could have predicted the chaotic scenes that unfolded at the Doosan Arena. With the score tied at 1-1 and two Lazio players sent off in the final minutes, everything seemed to be working against the Italian side. Reduced to nine men and under constant pressure from the hosts, Lazio looked set to leave the Czech Republic with nothing more than a hard-fought draw. However, against all odds, Alessio Romagnoli and his teammates dug deep and somehow found a 98th-minute winner, sealing a heroic triumph that will live long in the memory.
Shortly after the final whistle, Romagnoli spoke to Lazio’s official club channel and didn’t hold back his emotions: "A great win, but a tough match on can I say a swear word? a shitty pitch, with a shitty ball." The Italian centre-back, never one to shy away from honesty, didn’t hide his frustration with the conditions Lazio had to endure. According to Romagnoli, Plzen used every trick in the book to disrupt Lazio’s rhythm, opting for an extremely physical and direct style of play. "They were quick, physically strong, and we struggled a lot with their long balls," Romagnoli admitted. "They used every possible tactic tactical fouls, slowing down the game whenever they could. They made our lives hell."
But the difficult conditions went beyond just Plzen’s approach. The state of the pitch itself was, in Romagnoli’s words, disgraceful. The surface was uneven, bumpy, and almost impossible to play proper football on. The match ball, which should have been a non-issue, also came under fire from the Lazio defender, who said it was unpredictable and difficult to control. Every pass, every clearance, and every attempt to build from the back became a test of both technique and concentration. Yet despite these obstacles, Lazio’s defense held strong, even after the double red card setback a testament to the team’s resilience and spirit.
Romagnoli wasn’t just Lazio’s outspoken leader after the match; he was also the man who opened the scoring. His goal gave Lazio the initial lead and set the tone for the battle that followed. After scoring, Romagnoli ran straight to the travelling Lazio fans, passionately kissing the club badge on his shirt. When asked about that celebration, his explanation was both emotional and sincere: "It comes from what I feel for this club. I’ve always felt this connection, even when I was playing somewhere else. Lazio is part of me, and I wanted to show that. Every time I wear this shirt, I feel pride, but also the responsibility that comes with it."
The final minutes of the match descended into chaos. With the score still 1-1, Matías Vecino received a second yellow card and was sent off. Just minutes later, Manuel Lazzari lost his temper in an argument with the referee and was also shown a red card. With only nine men left on the pitch and the stadium pushing Plzen forward, Lazio seemed destined to concede a heartbreaking late goal. Instead, what happened next was nothing short of remarkable. Deep into stoppage time, Lazio launched one final counterattack. A hopeful long ball found Castellanos, who squared it perfectly for Kamada to slide home the winner in the 98th minute. The Lazio bench erupted, and the travelling fans celebrated as if they had just won a trophy.
Inside the Lazio dressing room, the celebrations continued long after the final whistle. It was clear to everyone players, staff, and fans alike that this was not just an ordinary victory. It was a statement, a show of strength, and a reminder of the team’s fighting spirit. For Romagnoli, the win represented something even deeper. "This victory gives us the belief that we are capable of doing something special," he said. "When you fight like this, suffer together, and still find a way to win, it shows what kind of team you really are. We need all the support our fans can give us because we want to take this spirit with us all the way in Europe."
With this incredible result in the bag, Lazio now returns to Rome for the second leg with confidence sky-high and a valuable advantage to protect. After surviving the madness in Plzen, Maurizio Sarri’s side has shown that they fear no one and are ready for whatever comes next.
Updated: 11:38, 7 Mar 2025
