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How long haven't I seen a title matchup, intended as a matchup between two teams fighting for the title? I should say for 20 years, since Lazio-Inter in 2000, but then we didn't know it was such: the team fighting for the title should have been Inter, but then Lazio won it. The last time I saw one knowingly was in 1993 (more than half of the players on the field today were not born yet) with Inter-Milan: Milan was in the lead and Inter hoped to make a comeback (there were still 2 points for victory), Gullit's equalizer with 8 minutes to go put an end to our dreams.
I arrive in front of the gates around 7 pm. I see many people with Inter colours, even a child. I was early because the idea was to eat something by Ponte Milvio, but then I had some doubts because I had come from the opposite side and there was some way to go. In the end I decide to go: I get back to the entrance around 7.50. On the way I meet a group of ultras, I think mixed, who cheer for Diabolik, the killed Lazio ultra. This time the prefiltration area is wider than usual: it starts before the Mussolini column. I enter without problems: there is no queue at the gates, nor at the turnstiles. They ask me for documents only once, not three as in Roma-Torino.
Only the Monte Mario grandstand half an hour from the start is still more than half empty, then it will fill up a bit, but no more than three quarters.
Before the kickpff there is the flight of the eagle, mascot of Lazio: at the beginning it is not easy to distinguish it from the seagulls that flutter on the stadium, as more or less all over Rome.
At halftime I don't move: I'm too far from the steps. They start again: Lazio Attacks strongly, there is to be afraid since the beginning, also because I see them attacking on my side. At least I was lucky in this: all the most important plays took place on my side. Skriniar anticipates Padelli, scrum, then there is a contact and the referee gives the penalty: 1-1 I am not able to judge, too much confusion and of course (for Italy) they do not show the plays on the screen, they are too scared. I think of course, Padelli is what he is, but the problem is also that his teammates have no confidence in him: if Skriniar had left him that ball it would probably have ended up there.
Shortly thereafter Young is struck down in the area: I am too far to judge and I had a player before. The action goes on for quite a while, so I hope in the intervention of instant replay, but there isn't. My friend will then tell me that he had taken the ball and I see on social media that even some Inter fans admit it. A couple of minutes later, save on the line and immediately after Mlinkovic's goal: 2-1. Inter have not yet made a change, only 20 minutes from the end Eriksen will enter. In the final Sanchez will be on the sidelines for a while waiting to enter, but will only enter 5 minutes from the end. Inter will have a few playable offensive balls, but will never be able to shoot, apart from a goal disallowed for offside. With 2-3 minutes to gp it seems that Immobile will close the match, but this time Padelli makes a right save.
At 45th the stopwatch on the sidelines stops, because it would be too dangerous to let the spectators know how much is left to the end. I wasn't able to start mine, so I don't really know when injury time will end. At the final whistle Lazio fans stop to celebrate, I would like to go out as soon as possible, but it is not easy to make way.
Lazio is second, one point behind, and in the next 5 weeks they will play 5 matches less than Inter and 3 less than Juve. The biggest surprise in the history of the Italian league could become a reality...
I arrive in front of the gates around 7 pm. I see many people with Inter colours, even a child. I was early because the idea was to eat something by Ponte Milvio, but then I had some doubts because I had come from the opposite side and there was some way to go. In the end I decide to go: I get back to the entrance around 7.50. On the way I meet a group of ultras, I think mixed, who cheer for Diabolik, the killed Lazio ultra. This time the prefiltration area is wider than usual: it starts before the Mussolini column. I enter without problems: there is no queue at the gates, nor at the turnstiles. They ask me for documents only once, not three as in Roma-Torino.
Only the Monte Mario grandstand half an hour from the start is still more than half empty, then it will fill up a bit, but no more than three quarters.
Before the kickpff there is the flight of the eagle, mascot of Lazio: at the beginning it is not easy to distinguish it from the seagulls that flutter on the stadium, as more or less all over Rome.
At halftime I don't move: I'm too far from the steps. They start again: Lazio Attacks strongly, there is to be afraid since the beginning, also because I see them attacking on my side. At least I was lucky in this: all the most important plays took place on my side. Skriniar anticipates Padelli, scrum, then there is a contact and the referee gives the penalty: 1-1 I am not able to judge, too much confusion and of course (for Italy) they do not show the plays on the screen, they are too scared. I think of course, Padelli is what he is, but the problem is also that his teammates have no confidence in him: if Skriniar had left him that ball it would probably have ended up there.
Shortly thereafter Young is struck down in the area: I am too far to judge and I had a player before. The action goes on for quite a while, so I hope in the intervention of instant replay, but there isn't. My friend will then tell me that he had taken the ball and I see on social media that even some Inter fans admit it. A couple of minutes later, save on the line and immediately after Mlinkovic's goal: 2-1. Inter have not yet made a change, only 20 minutes from the end Eriksen will enter. In the final Sanchez will be on the sidelines for a while waiting to enter, but will only enter 5 minutes from the end. Inter will have a few playable offensive balls, but will never be able to shoot, apart from a goal disallowed for offside. With 2-3 minutes to gp it seems that Immobile will close the match, but this time Padelli makes a right save.
At 45th the stopwatch on the sidelines stops, because it would be too dangerous to let the spectators know how much is left to the end. I wasn't able to start mine, so I don't really know when injury time will end. At the final whistle Lazio fans stop to celebrate, I would like to go out as soon as possible, but it is not easy to make way.
Lazio is second, one point behind, and in the next 5 weeks they will play 5 matches less than Inter and 3 less than Juve. The biggest surprise in the history of the Italian league could become a reality...
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