“It Burns so Much to Lose a Derby” – Lucas Leiva Discusses Lazio’s Loss to Roma

After seeing their UEFA Champions League aspirations fade away, Lazio hoped to end their season on a high note by winning the latest Derby della Capitale. However, that didn’t come to fruition as Simone Inzaghi’s side would fall 2-0. 

In an interview with the Lazio Style Channel (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Lucas Leiva spoke about the defeat and the squad’s performance in the loss to AS Roma. Leiva would state his disappointment for the loss and falling to their archrival. 

It burns so much to lose a derby; it’s never nice. In the first half, we kept the game under control; then we conceded a goal that no team must concede, let alone in a derby. To go under at the end of the first half, after a good performance, in my opinion, was not positive for us. In the second half, we tried patiently to score, we failed, and then they closed the game off of a counter.

Leiva spoke about the goals conceded, with the first late in the first half when Edin Džeko got by Francesco Acerbi and placed a cross for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to score. The second came from a counter-attack that resulted from a shot from Pedro, icing the cake for the Roma victory.

Conceding goals as we did cannot happen; against Roma or any other team. We had our chances with the game under control; they scored on the first shot.

In the second half of the game, we tried to keep possession of the ball, but there came a moment where we had to open up a little more, we conceded a counter-attack, and they scored. 

We have to learn how to play with teams that are sitting back and waiting for us to counter. We are usually very strong playing in the middle of the park with our midfielders and the forwards off of counter-attacks. However, when teams defend like Roma did, we have to learn how to attack a different way and still create opportunities. It takes dedication.

Sorry to the fans. Now we have to finish these final two games playing well, and then we’ll see what happens in the end – if the coach stays, which players will stay and which will leave.

The loss to ACF Fiorentina dimmed their hopes, but the defeat to Roma all but seals their fate that Lazio will not be playing in the Champions League next season. Leiva apologized for how the squad finished the end of their 2020-21 campaign. 

I’m so sorry because I think we had a good second half of the season by winning so many games. Our start to the championship cost us access to the Champions League. We hope to learn, and next year we will be stronger. It’s normal to talk to at the end of the season and say where you could do better. 

Certainly, the defeats against Verona and Udinese at home weighed heavily, but we won many games at the last minute. We had a good second half, but we started the championship badly; the Champions League then took away our energy, and now we miss those points…

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