Serie A

Football Italia

·25. Mai 2025

Serie A | Lazio 0-1 Lecce: Incredible defeat to 10 men is total failure

Lazio suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to 10-man Lecce, as Lassana Coulibaly saves the Salentini and knocks the Biancocelesti out of European football for next season.

There was plenty at stake here, as the Aquile could get anything from the Champions League to Conference League spot, while the Salentini needed to drag themselves out of the relegation zone.

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Manuel Lazzari and Patric missed out for the hosts, but coach Marco Baroni sat out a touchline ban. Tete Morente was suspended for Lecce, joining injured Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was an ill-tempered and tense match between two teams who felt the pressure at the Stadio Olimpico.

The deadlock was broken just before half-time when Mario Gila made a poor pass out from the back, Nikola Krstovic intercepted and set up Lassana Coulibaly to slide in the finish.

Lazio fought back with a Taty Castellanos diving header parried by Wladimiro Falcone, but there was controversy in first half stoppages.

Santiago Pierotti was already on a yellow card when he placed a hand on the back of Nuno Tavares during a run forward and it was considered sufficient for a second booking, reducing Lecce to 10 men.

epa12135413 Lecce�s Santiago Pierotti (R) is sent off by the referee Michael Fabbri (L) during the Serie A soccer match between SS Lazio and US Lecce at the Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 25 May 2025. EPA-EFE/Riccardo Antimiani

Lazio threw everything forward, especially after hearing Fiorentina could push them out of European football altogether.

Pedro saw a curler deflected over, then Falcone made another great save on a Castellanos header set up by Nuno Tavares.

Mario Gila’s strike was turned just over by a desperate defensive block, then Federico Baschirotto deflected a dangerous Nuno Tavares cross-shot onto the top of the crossbar.

Falcone was under siege, parrying another Pedro strike and the Alessio Romagnoli acrobatic flick on the resulting corner.

ROME, ITALY – MAY 25: Mattia Zaccagni of SS Lazio in action during the Serie A match between Lazio and Lecce at Stadio Olimpico on May 25, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

The tension got to Romagnoli, who was sent off deep into stoppages for flinging himself into a two-footed tackle at the corner flag.

Lecce held on down to 10 men, securing their unexpected Serie A safety, while Lazio went from potential Champions League to missing out on Europe altogether.