Verona-Lazio 0-3: Baroni returns to Bentegodi and finds his first victory of 2025

Verona 19 January 2025 – It's sweet for Baroni the return to Bentegodi, the meeting with his former coach is less so for the yellow and blues. Verona against Lazio sees the success of the Biancocelesti with a clear 0-3, thus taking home the three points that push them back to fourth place. Leg e Day they open the scoring in the first half, then Weather in Zaccagni, with the goal of the former, closes it in the second half, thus celebrating the first victory of the capital in 2025. Second consecutive defeat for the Scaligeri, who however lose due to the red card towards the end of the match, Doubt for the derby salvation against the Venice in the next day.

First half

Few surprises compared to the day before Zanetti, which however recovers Suslov from the flu problem and places it behind the couple Tengstedt e Sarr in attack. In midfield Doubt e Serdar in median, with Tchatchoua on his return after the disqualification on the right and bradaric preferred to Lazovic on the opposite side. Behind the three-line is composed of dawidowicz, Coppola e Ghilardi, before Montipo. Some surprises also on the white and blue front, especially in defense, where there are Hysaj e Leg, Together with Crazy e Nuno tavares to compose the line in front of Provedel. For the rest, the Biancocelesti's standard formation was confirmed with Guendouzi e rovella in the median, Isaac, Day e Weather in Zaccagni in three-quarters behind Castilians. 

It starts off strong, indeed very strong. Lazio, immediately bringing many men in the pressure phase in the opponent's half of the field. Just over sixty seconds on the clock and the Capitoline players go to kick the first corner of the match after a high recovery and from there the goal of the lead is born. On the cross of Weather in Zaccagni takes the time to defend Leg, who jumps to the near post and heads the ball in Montipo for the Lazio advantage after just 2 minutes of play. The Bentegodi was frozen by the sprint start of the Capitoline team. The team showed a reaction of pride in the minutes immediately following Zanetti: nice touch of Sarr for the insertion of Tengstedt, but the Dane overreaches for the ball on the touch before the shot and fails to chip it over Provedel. 

Pushed by the home crowd, he tries to give continuity to his offensive attempts, raising his center of gravity, but also exposing himself to the opponents' counterattacks. The guest containment phase is not without flaws and he concedes something to the boys in yellow and blue, in fact at 14' Leg spends the yellow card, after having missed the anticipation on Sarr. However, the goal opportunities remain in favour of the Lazio: before Castilians in the 18th minute he sends a shiver through the Verona defence, but it is Day three minutes later. Terrible free kick from the Verona, which opens the way to a deadly white and blue counterattack. Day He carries the ball unchallenged for about 50 metres and when he gets into the penalty area, he goes over bradaric and with the left-handed he punctures again MontipoThe clock strikes 21' and the Capitoline team is 0-2 up at the Bentegodi. 

The double advantage gives to the Lazio that tranquility that allows her to manage the pace of the game through dribbling. The Verona instead shows difficulties, with a generous but ineffective pressing in recovering the ball, thus often being forced to defend with all the players in their own half of the field. At 26' the first caution also arrives in the home of Verona, with dawidowicz anticipated by Castilians, who hits the Argentine, earning a yellow card. The guests insist and on a couple of occasions, with Taty first and Isaac then, they go to pinch the idea of ​​the third goal. The Argentine receives from a high recovery, but kicks wide, better instead the conclusion of the Dane, who forces Montipo to push the ball out for a corner.

At the end of the half there is also a ring from the Verona, who shows that he is still in the race. The right of Doubt it's wide, then Tengstedt central kick for the gloves of Provedel to send a signal that the challenge is not over yet. The greatest opportunity, however, is there Serdar, who heads the ball only in the Capitoline area, but only hits the top of the crossbar. So after a minute of injury time the first half of the match ends 0-2, but with a lively and determined Veronese team for a comeback.

Second half

Zanetti changes the face of his team at half-time, with a defender out and a switch to four at the back, with the entry of deliverance forward for dawidowicz. Renewed awareness on the part of the Scaligeri, who immediately try to put the Biancocelesti in difficulty with high pressure and a couple of chances right at the start of the second half. The Gialloblù attack with full strength, also spending some cards, especially the yellow cards for Coppola e bradaric. Only Doubt but it's a commitment Provedel, with a cross-shot from the outside of the right foot: punched away by the Lazio goalkeeper.

The sky-blues suffer, but this does not mean that they do not know how to take advantage of the opponents' mistakes. The minute is the 58th when Tchatchoua give the ball to Day practically sending him into the goal. The Senegalese serves as a trailer Weather in Zaccagni, who controls and kicks, scoring the most classic goal of the former after the deflection of Ghilardi. In the moment of maximum difficulty the Lazio finds the third goal and practically puts the match on ice: at the Bentegodi it's 0-3. 

The Lazio hat-trick effectively puts the match on ice, with the guests also starting to manage the pace, while the yellow and blues still try to hunt for an opportunity that can reopen the match, but without success. We thus arrive at the 65th minute with the beginning of a long waltz of substitutions on both benches. First in Verona enter Castanos e Lazovic for Suslov e Tengstedt; the former technician replies Baroni with a triple substitution where they entered Romagnoli, Pedro e Dele Bashiru for Leg, Isaac e Weather in Zaccagni. More changes three minutes later: in the Lazio Pellegrini for Tavares, with the latter cautioned upon leaving the pitch for not having taken the shortest route to leave the pitch; the response of Zanetti entrusted to Faraoni and Belahyane for Tchatchoua e Sarr.

Another reaction from the Verona, whose spirit with which he faced the race cannot be admired. bradaric he fits in very well on the centre-left and tries to shoot diagonally towards goal: careful with the response Provedel. More yellow-blue players booked as the match enters its final ten minutes: first Ghilardi receives a yellow card for stopping the restart in open field Day, then Doubt for a blow to the detriment of Guendouzi.

The match enters its final minutes with the entrance of Castrovilli for rovella, the last substitution also used by the Biancocelesti. Just before the four minutes of recovery, the last note of the match concerns the expulsion of Doubt. The player of Verona receives the second yellow for a late intervention on Pellegrini and leaves his team with ten men for the final part of the match, but much more importantly: he will not be there in the derby against the relegation Venice. Nothing else happens in the four minutes of injury time, at the Bentegodi he celebrates the Lazio, who won 0-3 on the pitch of Verona and returns to fourth place in the standings, while the Scaligeri suffer their second consecutive defeat.