BOLOGNA 2-5 LAZIO | TAYLOR WINS IT FOR LAZIO | COPA ITALIA 2025-26

 

ROMA OUTCAST PELLEGRINI COMES IN FROM COLD TO WIN DERBY LAZIO

Rome (AFP) – Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma to victory in the derby with Lazio on Sunday, the former captain coming in from the cold with the only goal in a 1-0 win at a boisterous Stadio Olimpico.

Lorenzo Pellegrini celebrates scoring Roma's derby-winning goal © Tiziana FABI / AFP

Roman-born Pellegrini lost the captaincy of his boyhood club and was placed on the transfer list over the summer, but he was decisive against Lazio in his first appearance of the season and put Roma fourth in Serie A on nine points.

Ahead of kick-off Fans unfurled a banner which read "welcome back, captain" for Pellegrini who also had to have surgery for an injury to his right thigh in May.

"I never doubted their affection for me and I have a lot of love for them too," said Pellegrini to DAZN.

"The one constant is that I love Roma, and as long as I'm here there will never be a day in which I won't give everything for the shirt.

"I don't know what will happen in the future because life is unpredictable... I was close to leaving and I had no idea in what condition I would be after my injury, but I come back in the derby and scored the winning goal."

Sunday's 38th-minute strike was Pellegrini's fourth in a Rome derby and repaid the faith shown in him by new coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who started the 29-year-old in one of Roma's biggest games of the season.

Gasperini seemed to have frozen out Pellegrini who has 36 caps for Italy but on Saturday hinted at a place in the derby, while making it clear the player was on borrowed time unless he "becomes an athlete and starts running".

And after the derby win he doubled down on Pellegrini needing to improve physically as Roma prepare to begin their Europa League campaign at Nice on Wednesday.

Lazio woes

Lazio are stuck on three points from their first four matches of the season but could have easily come away with a point from a typically tense derby, even after losing Reda Belahyane to a straight red card.

Matteo Guendouzi made matters worse for 13th-placed Lazio when he was sent off for a rant at officials after the final whistle.

The only serious efforts before Pellegrini's winner were from distance by Pedro and Mattia Zaccagni, the latter tipped over by Mile Svilar just before the half hour.

Lazio's Nicolo Rovella burst down the right and sent across a teasing low cross which dribbled in front of the Roma goal but was too far away from his onrushing teammates.

Pellegrini stroked home his first goal since January after Devyne Rensch robbed a dozing Nuno Tavares and Matias Soule perfectly fed the Italy international for a first-time finish.

Roma pressed high in the hope of forcing mistakes from Lazio but it was the nominal away team who left a huge gap through which Boulaye Dia charged in the 54th minute only to blast over when one-on-one with Svilar.

Dia's replacement Valentin Castellanos then whizzed a deflected effort just wide, before Danilo Cataldi came within millimetres of snatching a draw in stoppage time when his curling effort struck the outside of the post.

Roma held out and claimed bragging rights in the Eternal City, as well as moving to within a point of league leaders Juventus.

© 2025 AFP

ROME DERBY CLASHES LIKENED TO ‘URBAN WARFARE’ BY CITY’S MAYOR

ROME -- The toll from clashes between violent fans and police at the weekend's Rome derby includes 24 law enforcement officers injured, one arrest and at least 40,000 euros ($45,000) in damaged garbage dumpsters.

Officials in the capital were still trying to sum up the damages after fans on Sunday attacked police in riot gear in a heavily populated area where people had been gathering ahead of the Serie A game between Lazio and Roma.

"I am disgusted," said Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. "It's unacceptable that hooligans transform a day of sport into a scene of urban warfare."

Some 2,000 police officers were stationed at various flashpoints around the Stadio Olimpico and swept into action when Lazio's hard-core "ultra" fans attempted to push through a barred-off area.

Fans reacted to the intervention by launching fireworks and other objects at the police officers. Police then responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Fans clashed with police ahead of Sunday's Rome derby between Lazio and Roma. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Serie A league judge Gerardo Mastrandrea on Tuesday announced that he would wait for a more comprehensive report about the clashes before deciding on any punishment for the clubs. But he did order fines of 6,000 euros ($6,800) for Roma and 4,000 euros ($4,500) for Lazio because supporters of the clubs threw flares toward the field during the game. Seven flares were reported from the Roma end and four from the Lazio end.

The derby was restored to an 8:45 p.m. kickoff this season after six years of earlier start times in order to avoid violence. Now next year's games will likely start earlier again.

Lazio and Roma both expressed solidarity with the injured police officers and denounced the violence.

The game ended 1-1.

The Rome derby has been plagued by violence for years.

In 2004, the derby was suspended due to a false rumor that police had killed a boy outside the stadium.

In January, a car went up in flames outside the stadium before this season's first derby.

- Associated Press

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE BRACKET

 

JUVENTUS ARE THE 'KINGS' OF ITALIAN FOOTBALL

 

OFFICIAL: COMO SIGN REINA ON FREE TRANSFER

Newly promoted Serie A side Como have confirmed the purchase of ex-Napoli and Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Cesc Fabregas’ Como have confirmed the signing of experienced goalkeeper Reina.

The 41-year-old spent the last two seasons at Villarreal, and his contract with Yellow Submarine expired in June.

“Como 1907 is pleased to announce the signing of Pepe Reina until June 2025,” the Azzurri said in a statement.

“An experienced goalkeeper, Reina has defended the goals of Barcelona, Villareal, Liverpool, Napoli, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Aston Villa and Lazio in his career.

“He has been named the Premier League’s best goalkeeper three times in his career and also boasts 36 appearances with the Spanish national team with whom he participated in the winning expeditions to the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.”

Cesc Fàbregas commented on Reina’s signing for the club: “We are thrilled to welcome Pepe to the club. He is a goalkeeper with great international experience and a very competitive mentality. For these reasons, I am sure that his contribution will help the team to grow and improve.”

Pepe Reina commented after signing: “I arrive in a beautiful project, a family that continues to grow and tries to raise the bar every year. I return to a league that I know well and that I know is very competitive, for my part I want to give my contribution to the development of this club.”

- Lorenzo Bettoni

AC MILAN COACH PIOLI LEAVING AT THE END OF THE SEASON,

AP Photo 

 MILAN, Italy (AP) — AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli is leaving the Italian club at the end of the season after a near five-year stint that included the 2022 Serie A title.

Milan announced Pioli’s departure on Friday, a day before its final league game of the season at home to Salernitana.

Pioli stepping down had been widely expected, with club great Zlatan Ibrahimovic — who has been given a front-office role by Milan's American owners — reportedly already involved in the search for a successor.

The club thanked Pioli for “securing an unforgettable league title and re-establishing AC Milan’s consistent presence in the top European competition.”

“Stefano’s professionalism and human touch have significantly contributed to the growth of the squad, embodying the club’s core values from day one,” Milan said in a statement.

The 2022 league title was Milan's first in 11 years. It will finish this season in second place, behind crosstown rival Inter Milan.

Milan was taken over after its 2022 title by American investment firm RedBird Capital. Pioli's future had been in doubt since February, when RedBird owner Gerry Cardinale and Ibrahimović declined to commit to him when asked about speculation of a coaching change after the season.

Reports in Italy have linked Pioli to taking over Napoli. The 58-year-old coach also previously coached Inter, Fiorentina, Lazio, Bologna, Parma and several other clubs.

Under Pioli, Milan ended a seven-year absence from the Champions League in 2021 and reached the semifinals last season, losing to Inter.

This season, Pioli's team failed to advance from a tough group that included Borussia Dortmund, which plays in the final next week, and Paris Saint-Germain. Milan then switched to the second-tier Europa League and was eliminated by Roma in the quarterfinals.

Inter's runaway Serie A title success has established its supremacy in the city and Italian soccer, despite financial turmoil that saw the club also fall into American ownership this week. Both Milan and Inter had Chinese owners who lost control of the clubs to American investment funds after missing loan repayments.

UDINESE STUNS LAZIO IN SERIE A FOR ONLY SECOND WIN OF.THE YEAR

Maduka Okoye. AP Photo 

 ROME (AP) — Udinese took a big step away from the Serie A relegation zone when it beat Lazio 2-1 on the road on Monday.

Udinese's only previous win this year was at Juventus, surprisingly. That dismal run brought it just seven points from a possible 27 and left it in 17th place, one spot above the relegation zone.

This win lifted Udinese four places to 13th. Lazio remained ninth.

All three goals came in a five-minute burst early in the second half.

Udinese took the lead after 47 minutes when Lorenzo Lucca diverted a shot from Hassane Kamara past despairing goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.

Lazio equalized two minutes later when Lautaro Giannetti turned Mattia Zaccagni’s cut back into his own net.

Oier Zarraga put Udinese ahead again in the 51st by placing a low shot into the corner of the net.

Nehuén Pérez was sent off for Udinese four minutes into stoppage time.

HARRY KANE STEERS BAYERN MUNICH INTO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS WITH TWO GOALS IN 3-0 WIN OVER LAZIO

DPA via AP

 MUNICH (AP) — He’s done it again.

Harry Kane scored twice to steer Bayern Munich into the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 3-0 win over Lazio on Tuesday.

Kane’s 32nd and 33rd goals this season for Bayern ensured the Bavarian powerhouse recovered from losing the first leg of the last 16 tie 1-0 in Rome to win 3-1 on aggregate over two legs.

“A perfect night for us,” said Kane, the man of the match.

The win will ease the pressure on Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, whose premature departure at the end of the season was announced by Bayern after the team's three-game losing run — including the defeat in Rome.

Bayern's new sporting director Max Eberl said before Tuesday's game that Tuchel would remain in charge afterward even if the team lost, but there had been a feeling defeat would bring forward the coach's exit.

Bayern, which is 10 points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, was facing the prospect of just its second elimination in 12 appearances at this stage of the Champions League.

“If we had been eliminated today, it would have been more than unfortunate,” Bayern president Herbert Hainer said.

Kane broke the deadlock in the 38th minute after Ciro Immobile had gone close for Lazio at the other end.

Thomas Müller headed Aleksandar Pavlović’s cross back for Raphaël Guerreiro to mis-hit it, and Kane threw himself at the ball to just head it past Ivan Provedel in the Lazio goal.

There was still time before the break for Müller to score in first-half stoppage time with a glancing header to Matthijs de Ligt’s shot after a corner.

Kane sealed the result in the 66th by firing in the rebound after Leroy Sané drew a save from Provedel. It was the England captain’s sixth Champions League goal this season.

LAZIO FAN ARRESTED FOR HITLER SALUTE AS SUPPORTERS SING FASCIST SONGS IN MUNICH BEER HALL

 MUNICH (AP) — One Italian fan among about 100 Lazio soccer supporters who sang fascist songs in the beer hall where Adolf Hitler founded the Nazi party has been arrested and fined for giving a Hitler salute.

Munich police spokesman Michael Marienwald told The Associated Press on Tuesday that an 18-year-old from Italy was issued a four-figure fine after police were called to the Hofbräuhaus beer hall late Monday.

Marienwald said the police were looking at further action against more individuals after a large group of Lazio fans were filmed in the beer hall singing about the Blackshirts, the paramilitary wing of Italy’s National Fascist Party.

In a video published by the La Repubblica newspaper, the fans finished the song by chanting “Duce! Duce! Duce!” in reference to former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, an ally of Hitler. The fans appeared to be giving fascist salutes.

Hitler founded the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, better known as the Nazi party, with a speech in the same beer hall in 1920.

The Lazio fans were in Munich for their team’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Lazio won the first leg of the last-16 tie 1-0 and was bidding to reach the quarterfinals.

BOLOGNA REMAINS IN CONTENTION FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLACE WITH A 2-1 WIN AT LAZIO IN SERIE A

AP

 ROME (AP) — Bologna remained in contention for a Champions League place with a 2-1 comeback victory at Lazio in Serie A on Sunday.

Oussama El Azzouzi and Joshua Zirkzee scored for Bologna after Gustav Isasksen had given Lazio an early advantage.

Bologna’s fourth straight victory moved it back into fifth place, level on points with fourth-placed Atalanta. Lazio remained eighth.

Lazio complained to league officials about the early lunchtime kickoff coming four days after a victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.

Fiorentina was held to a 1-1 draw at Empoli in a Tuscan derby and Udinese and Cagliari also drew 1-1.

Later, AC Milan had a chance to leapfrog Juventus into second place with a win at neighboring Monza; and Roma was visiting Frosinone.

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON: FORMER ENGLAND MANAGER SAYS HE HAS CANCER AND 'BEST CASE A YEAR' TO LIVE

Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has "best case a year" to live after being diagnosed with cancer.

The 75-year-old Swede was the first foreign coach to manage England and led the side to the quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup and 2004 Euros.

"I'm going to resist for as long as I can," Eriksson told Swedish Radio P1.

"I have an illness that's serious. Best case a year, I have worst case a lot less. It's impossible to say exactly, so it's better to not think about it."

Eriksson, who had a 42-year career in management, stood down from his most recent role as sporting director at Swedish club Karlstad 11 months ago because of health issues.

He said he was trying to stay positive and "make something good" from his cancer diagnosis.

CAPTAIN OF LAZIO, CIRO IMMOBILE, TERRIBLE CAR ACCIDENT

TRAVEL WITH THE TEAM AHEAD OF LAZIO | JUVENTUS | TRAVEL DIARIES

HIGHLIGHTS | LAZIO 2-1 JUVENTUS

INTER 2-1 LAZIO | HIGHLIGHTS | SERIE A TIM

LAZIO 3-0 MILAN | CORREA HITS BRACE IN BIG WIN | SERIE A TIM

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | ROUND OF 16 | BAYERN MUNCHEN VS. LAZIO | HIGHLIGHTS

MILAN 3-2 LAZIO | HERNANDEZ SEALS WIN IN EPIC 5-GOAL THRILLER | SERIE A

LAZIO 2-0 NAPOLI | IMMOBILE & LUIS ALBERTO LEAD LAZIO TO VICTORY | SERIE A TIM