Three Things We Learned From Parma vs Lazio: Aquile Fly Above Evil | OneFootball

Even in the bleakest of campaigns, football still has a habit of delivering moments so striking that you remember exactly where you were, eyes fixed in disbelief, as they would watch unfold.

For Lazio fanatics, this moment ensued on Saturday, when the nine remaining men on the pitch looked almost oblivious to great numerical disadvantage they were put against, as they went on to score a late winner against Parma, in front of the shell-shocked home crowd at the Ennio Tardini.

Needless to say, the epic scenes we witnessed this weekend left us with a flurry of talking points, but in this piece, we’ll focus on the following three.

Lazio Dispel Evil Spirits Through Sheer Force

For the third weekend in a row, Lazio felt hard done by the officiating. This time, Mattia Zaccagni was sent off for a high-studs challenge, while Toma Basic followed suit due to what was deemed to be violent conduct in an off-the-ball incident. Nevertheless, many would argue that yellow cards would be sufficient in both cases.

Whether you wish to blame the poor officiating, the reckless decisions, or simply bad luck, it almost feels as if Claudio Lotito may have a point by suggesting that the club is somewhat ‘cursed’. The Biancocelesti patron even brought a priest to Formello to bless the facility and its inhabitants with holy water.

But with all due respect to sacred rituals, Lazio were never going to overcome these ‘evil spirits’ through prayers alone, but by punching them straight in the face. And while the technical qualities of the current team pale in comparison to its predecessors, Maurizio Sarri’s men certainly don’t lack the courage, nor the madness.

In fact, this is a side that is growing in confidence and self-belief with every fresh outing, using their misfortunes to fuel their motivation and desire to defy all odds.

So while the hierarchy has given the fans very few reasons to celebrate in the past few years, the Laziali can at least be proud of the brave men donning the famous Biancocelesti colors.

Luca Pellegrini Deserves More Credit

Speaking of courageous Laziali, here’s one who hardly receives his dues.

Luca Pellegrini’s importance to the cause has been put to the test in the last two contests. Last weekend, his presence was heavily felt as Nuno Tavares had another shocker at the back. On Saturday, he made important contributions in both phases of the game for 90+ minutes, helping Lazio clinch their most memorable win of the season thus far.

Needless to say, the Italian is not a top-class full-back by any means, but he’s mostly been a reliable presence on the left flank, and at the age of 26, his best years have yet to come.

Sarri Wasted Tijjani Noslin for Two Months

While many strikers would have given up on Danilo Cataldi’s pass ball, which was a bit too long, Tijjani Noslin decided to give chase, and his reward was scoring a goal that will cement him as an idol for the Aquile. This isn’t the first time that the Dutchman has revived lost causes; he had already done so in the final minute against Torino when he won a spot-kick later converted by Cataldi.

Since his arrival in the Italian capital, the 26-year-old has been associated with his former Hellas Verona coach Marco Baroni, who is said to be interested in another reunion at Torino.

But despite being a member of the ‘old regime’, despite starting every single contest on the bench, and despite being told by his manager that he doesn’t have a defined role for him in the squad, Noslin has been a man on a mission every time he took the field.

The versatile attacker is finally beginning to endear himself to Sarri, who has now identified him as Taty Castellanos’ first understudy instead of Boulaye Dia, who has only ever looked useful in a Lazio shirt when playing behind the Argentine rather than leading the line himself.

However, it’s a shame that Sarri didn’t give more space to Noslin while Castellanos was out of action for two months, insisting on fielding Dia on every occasion, despite posing little to no threat to the opposition in the final third.

But as they say, better late than never.