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.
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| 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
