Lazio returned to the Champions League with their second-place finish last term and Maurizio Sarri’s side did well to progress to the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition.
The Biancocelesti were drawn into Group E alongside Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord and Celtic, setting up a tough but possible task for Sarri and his squad. The team did not disappoint and finished second behind the Spaniards, moving on to face Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.
The Roman club’s last Champions League campaign came in the 2020-21 campaign and things were similarly solid, with the team finishing second behind Borussia Dortmund. They faced Bayern in the Round of 16, ultimately losing 6-2 on aggregate.
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Matchday 1 – 1-1 vs Atletico Madrid
Lazio’s Champions League campaign started in explosive fashion. Sarri’s side fell 1-0 down after just 29 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico and looked set to suffer a defeat in their first outing, before everything turned on its head in extra time.
Goalkeeper Ivan Provedel proved to be the hero on that September night, scoring a sensational header in the 95th minute to steal a point for the hosts, kickstarting the team’s campaign with a moment of magic.
Matchday 2 – 2-1 vs Celtic
The Biancocelesti’s second European commitment of the season was equally dramatic; again, they conceded early, allowing Kyogo Furuhashi to score the opener after just 12 minutes, but this time a response came promptly through Matias Vecino, who levelled out proceedings.
A point looked to be all for Lazio in Scotland, until veteran winger Pedro nicked a late winning goal in the 95th minute, securing a vital victory for Sarri and his squad. The win was an important boost in the competition, allowing them to keep up with Atletico.
Matchday 3 – 1-3 vs Feyenoord
Defeat in the Champions League was inevitable, and it came the week before Halloween when Lazio fell to Feyenoord on a cold October night in Rotterdam. It was not a positive match for the coach or his squad, showing signs of the team’s inconsistency.
Pedro scored the consolation goal that night, but it came in the 83rd minute after Feyenoord were 3-0 up, ultimately meaning nothing in the course of the competition.
Matchday 4 – 1-0 vs Feyenoord
Revenge tastes sweet and this was particularly true for Lazio when they hosted Feyenoord in the return clash, taking him all three points after a first-half goal from Immobile, who did well to silence his doubters after a slow start to the season.
Considering Celtic’s lacklustre campaign, this victory was the most important in the group stages for the Biancocelesti, who now took a key lead over their main rivals for the second-place finish in Group E.
Matchday 5 – 2-0 vs Celtic
The Biancocelesti’s second win over Celtic this season was far less dramatic than the first, although tensions were still high for the first 80 minutes of the clash at the Stadio Olimpico.
Immobile again proved his star status for Lazio, netting a brace within three minutes to guide his team to another key European victory, confirming their spot in the Round of 16. His work achieved an important objective for the club, allowing them to relax a little in their final group outing.
Matchday 6 – 0-2 vs Atletico Madrid
Lazio had the chance to secure a first-place finish in Group E in their last game, but their opponents Atletico proved equally hungry at the Civitas Metropolitano.
An early strike from Antoine Griezmann and a second-half goal from Samuel Lino confirmed the Spaniards’ victory, but it did little to spoil the party in Rome, with the fans happy enough with a spot in the knockout stages.
