A draw without too many emotions is enough for Lazio to go through.
– The Transylvanian cold, the many absences due to the boksicite that scourged Formello, result in a match not among the funniest seen this season, in which Lazio makes the minimum wage to qualify for the round of 16 against an opponent who, to tell the truth, believed it right in the last five minutes. The most colorful note were the at least twenty times in which Marcolin, Dazn commentator, said “accept the pressure”;
– As mentioned, Sarri he has to deal with the many absences and he fields a much more physical than technical formation in midfield which inevitably slows down the maneuver and fails to trigger Immobile. The most dangerous is Luis Alberto who, often, proposes himself in the Romanian defensive voids opened by the movements of Ciro himself. One would expect Petrescu’s team to board the Biancoceleste area and instead they recite the same script of the first leg: defensively attentive and not very pungent. True, the quality is not excellent and Krasniqi, its most technical player, becomes a rhyme couplet for the former striker, now back in Liga, Muriqi and misses a clear opportunity created by a nap from Casale;
– In the second half, Sarri’s team plays as a Sarri team should play. High center of gravity, fast phrasing and quick triangulations to try to close the speech. It’s a pity that Scuffet decides to make four consecutive saves and denies Lazio the goal of tranquillity. Cluj suddenly remain in ten due to a colossal ingenuity by Muhar and, paradoxically, they attack more than they did before. Vast prairies open up which, however, are not exploited properly. A few insipid final thrills but it doesn’t change the result. Lazio goes on;
– The reserves had the golden opportunity to show off and prove to Sarri that he deserved a run-off in the championship. Romero he understands the moment and plays well, a lot of application and tactical intelligence. Basic when in the second half he migrated as left midfielder he was preferred. Gila he proves to be an excellent defender. For the rest a good workout;
– A more drumming pace was expected from the Romanian champion team, at least at home. A desire to overturn the 1-0 of the first leg. Instead, Petrescu doesn’t change his philosophy and tends to play on the opponent’s mistake. He almost succeeds but he certainly doesn’t fight for the next round. It is true that the technical material is of a low standard, but the famous intensity that is usually encountered in Europe by Romanians is completely missing.
The article Scattered considerations post Cluj-Lazio (0-0) comes from Sportellate.it.