Following a 1-0 loss to Milan at the San Siro, Lazio sporting director Igli Tare spoke to reporters alongside the head of communications at the club, Stefano de Martino. Clearly not impressed by the result or officiating, here are his words below.
This is the story of a death foretold, one feared before the game occurred. We are sorry to come out defeated after playing a great game, especially in the first half. We deserved to decide our fate on the field and not through the episodes that transpired today. Which episodes? First, I refer to the speed in which the referee whistled for the first penalty – you could see from a thousand meters there wasn’t one – and the second, the time he blew the whistle for the penalty that was given – it could be a penalty or it could not be a penalty as it’s body to body contact, even though Musacchio had fallen as if he had been shot. Thirdly, the challenge on Milinkovic-Savic – I don’t know how that is not a penalty shot. There is a minimum touch on the ball, with very big contact against the player. Those who have played football know the dynamics, the penalty could be there or at least have the doubt to see it through VAR. Since last season, we have been in debt to refereeing decisions. I don’t want to be a victim, but we deserve everything in the field. We close the championship and at the end, we draw conclusions. In ten days we have great revenge.
Tell me if there is something wrong, there are many things that are not right. What I feared could happen, happened. We came from dubious episodes of last week, we hoped this game could be decided on the field. Whistling two penalties in 30 seconds is a record; I do not agree with the speed of deciding on the Milinkovic episode. The contact between Rodriguez and Milinkovic was clearly visible: the player took more than just the ball.
Coppa Italia? We need to think cool and remain calm, there is still a championship final to get to and play. We must end the season in the best way. Kessie’s penalty? It can or can not stand. But the same thing applies to the situation surrounding Milinkovic. After the controversy over the penalty not blown to Milan against Juventus, something like this could be expected. Last year we suffered a lot of wrongdoing with officiating and we didn’t go to the Champions League. We still need to be strong and move forward without making victims. I consider Rocchi the best Italian referee, so for this reason, I was expecting more cold evaluations. The match could have been managed better, another example is the yellow card to Luis Alberto that did not even exist! He will now be absent against Udinese. With Rocchi we are evidently a bit unlucky, also watching Lazio-Inter or Milan-Lazio last year where he did not see Cutrone’s goal with his arm via VAR… Lazio lost the Champions League by one point and this creates so much bitterness, the team’s nervous reactions are also explained. There are so many episodes that could be evaluated differently.
Kessie and Bakayoko have made a teasing at the end? It should not be given importance. We must concentrate on the field because we have a season finale in which there is so much up for grabs. This defeat must teach us a lot. Complaining about the referees is useless, they are the ones who eventually go on the field and decide. They must be helped but there are many episodes in which we can complain because they could be judged differently. But we do not want to pass from victims tonight. This evening it was all about winning, I preferred to play badly but to take home the 3 points for the standings. Still, there is the possibility of going to the Champions League, we must believe it, there is not only the Coppa Italia Cup to win. We will see if on Wednesday the defeat will weigh psychologically on the team, I believe these guys are able to react.
