Lazio angrily responded in a statement after Udinese director Pierpaolo Marino and coach Andrea Sottil accused Ciro Immobile of diving for the decisive penalty.
The Biancocelesti edged out a tense 1-0 win over the Bianconeri at the Dacia Arena on Sunday night, securing all three points after a 61st minute penalty from Immobile. The spot kick was awarded after the Lazio captain was seemingly brought down by the outstretched leg of Adam Masina.
For Lazio, the result is a key boost in their fight for a top four finish, allowing them to keep a four-point lead over fifth place Milan. With Inter losing to Napoli, Maurizio Sarri’s side have risen to third, putting the Champions League within their grasp with two games to go.
After the match, Udinese coach Sottil did not hide his frustration with the decisive penalty decision, saying: “And then there is a penalty that’s not a penalty, but a dive. I don’t argue with referees, they’re human, but I’ve seen and reviewed the penalty, and Masina is completely stationary. Immobile let himself fall and it was a dive.”
Bianconeri director Marino also highlighted the incident, commenting: “We’re angry, infuriated. A match that was balanced, in equilibrium, was decided by a penalty awarded for a clear dive of Immobile. The penalty doesn’t exist, in the regulations. We’re sorry that between the referee on the pitch and VAR, they were unable to correct the error.”
Lazio were clearly unimpressed with this assessment of events and released a statement after the match, responding to the accusations of diving: “Director Marino’s statements on Immobile’s dive in the penalty incident are inappropriate, those on the alleged influencing of the referee are instead to be considered unacceptable by S.S. Lazio.”