Mattia Zaccagni blames referee Gianluca Manganiello for causing Lazio’s meltdown against Salernitana and ruling Sergej Milinkovic-Savic out of the Rome Derby. ‘He couldn’t wait to get that card out.’
The Biancocelesti were leading 1-0 through Zaccagni’s goal, as he nutmegged Luigi Sepe on a Luis Alberto through ball, but they fell apart in the second half, conceding from Antonio Candreva, Federico Fazio and Boulaye Dia.
“Salernitana did well to make the most of those two or three counter-attacks they had. It felt like we were in control, instead we conceded two avoidable goals,” Zaccagni told Sky Sport Italia.
Lazio really lost it after Milinkovic-Savic was given a harsh yellow card for running into Dylan Bronn, a decision that means the Serbian will be suspended for next week’s Derby della Capitale against Roma.
“The tension in the match was entirely the fault of the referee. It was not in any way a card. Sergej played the ball. The feeling we got from the pitch was that the referee couldn’t wait to get that card out,” said Zaccagni.
“Manganiello even wanted to hear from VAR if it could be a red card. That just seems like madness.”
Lazio had not conceded for six consecutive Serie A games, 620 minutes of league football, until leaking three goals in 25 minutes.
“Once we conceded that first goal, we didn’t play as a team, we tried to solve it with individual moves. Now we are without Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile for the derby, they are key figures, but we have to play without them and we’ll give our best.”