Lazio locked down second place with a magnificent performance to beat Juventus, as though there were protests over Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s strike, the Mattia Zaccagni team goal was top class.
If the Bianconeri win their appeal against the 15-point penalty on April 19, it will put them ahead of the Aquile, but this was already a strong statement. Ciro Immobile returned to the starting XI after injury problems and Adam Marusic was back from suspension, while Juve missed suspended Moise Kean, injured Mattia De Sciglio, Paul Pogba and Kaio Jorge. Coach Max Allegri was also missing, left behind in Turin with flu symptoms, so assistant manager Marco Landucci stood in.
Luis Alberto tested Wojciech Szczesny with an early scorcher from distance, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic turned two very promising headers over the bar.
Milinkovic-Savic then surged through defenders and was only prevented from finishing the solo run by a desperate last-ditch Gleison Bremer sliding tackle.
The tempo was frantic and Immobile almost scored a stunning volley on the Felipe Anderson flicked pass, only to be denied by Szczesny’s fine save.
Immobile was preparing to smash in from the edge of the box when Nicolò Fagioli snatched it off his foot, but the Lazio pressure paid off eventually.
Mattia Zaccagni floated a cross to the back post, where Alex Sandro went over far too easily under a nudge and Milinkovic-Savic was able to chest and volley in the finish. Juve were furious, but the Serbian had one hand just resting on the Brazilian’s back and it was not enough for VAR to intervene.
The Bianconeri reacted on the pitch by grabbing an immediate equaliser. Ivan Provedel made the save on Bremer’s header from a corner, but Adrien Rabiot battled to bundle it over the line from point-blank range.
Juve started the second half strong, but were undone by a magnificent team goal that showcased Maurizio Sarri’s style. Felipe Anderson pulled back from the right and Luis Alberto on the penalty spot made a wonderful back-heel flick to set up Zaccagni’s first-time sweep into the far bottom corner from 10 yards.
Moments later, Zaccagni had the ball in the net again, but this time had started his run too early and was offside on the Milinkovic-Savic pass.
Vlahovic nodded an Alex Sandro cross just over the bar and Cuadrado ran the real risk of a second yellow card when crashing into Zaccagni just outside the box.
Angel Di Maria’s magnificent first touch set up the chance for Rabiot, charged down at the back post, as Juve poured forward after introducing Federico Chiesa and Arkadiusz Milik.
Chiesa had penalty appeals waved away, as he went over far too easily under pressure from Milinkovic-Savic, then burst down the left to set up Fagioli for a strike just over from 12 yards.
Di Maria saw his shot charged down by Milinkovic-Savic and Leandro Paredes scuffed wide.
Lazio 2-1 Juventus
Milinkovic-Savic 38 (L), Rabiot 42 (J), Zaccagni 54 (L)
Player statistic
| Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Assist: Mattia Zaccagni) |
 |
38' | ||
| 42' | |
Adrien Rabiot | ||
| 45' |  |
Alex Sandro | ||
| 45+3' | |
Manuel Locatelli |
| 51' | |
Juan Cuadrado | ||
| Mattia Zaccagni (Assist: Luis Alberto) |
|
53' | ||
| Ivan Provedel | |
78' | ||
| Sergej Milinkovic-Savic | |
86' | ||
| 90+5' | |
Fabio Miretti |
Match statistic
