AS Roma vs Lazio: Giallorossi Win the Derby della Capitale 2-0
AS Roma maintained their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League after winning 2-0 against Lazio in the Derby della Capitale. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini affirmed that his team’s destiny is now in their own hands.
The Giallorossi achieved a vital 2-0 victory over Lazio in the Derby della Capitale at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday (May 17th). This result lifted Roma to third place in the Serie A standings with the same number of points as AC Milan, totaling 70 points.
The match was intense from the start and featured two red cards in the second half. Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella and Roma player Wesley were both sent off.
Roma center-back Gianluca Mancini became the key figure in the victory with two header goals from set pieces.
Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini stated that his team is now solely focused on their final match of the season.
“We still have 90 minutes left to play. This has been an incredible league this season with so many teams separated by just a few points,” said Gasperini, quoted by Football Italia.
Roma is now in a favorable position as their fate for Champions League qualification rests on their own performance when they face Verona in the final match of the season.
The result was also influenced by Juventus’ 0-2 defeat against Fiorentina, which caused the Bianconeri to drop to fifth place alongside Como.
“We were hoping that other teams would slip up. Today it happened to Juve, but we did well to stay focused on our own game against a quality Lazio team,” Gasperini continued.
He acknowledged that the match was very tight in the first half before Roma broke the deadlock through a set piece. According to him, the team’s performance improved after the break.
Gasperini also urged the players not to get carried away with the victory euphoria because there is still one important match left to complete.
Special praise was given to Gianluca Mancini, who scored two goals in the derby match.
“I have always said since pre-season that he is a symbol of Roma and today will remain etched in his career. This is a squad with many captains and he is one of them,” Gasperini said.
The Italian coach also alluded to Roma’s performance throughout the season, including after the 3-3 draw against Juventus, which he called a turning point for the team’s productivity.
In addition to the derby victory, attention was also focused on the future of Paulo Dybala, whose contract expires on June 30th.
When asked if this match would be Dybala’s last appearance at the Olimpico, Gasperini gave a positive signal.
“That’s for next week. The club owner is here, fortunately, and everything could become easier if you get an immediate response,” said Gasperini.
According to him, both Dybala and the club management want to continue their cooperation.
Gasperini admitted that he would be happy if a new agreement is reached, including for other players whose contracts are expiring but who continue to show professionalism and love for Roma.
“Even though the main target of this season has not been fully achieved, the victory in the derby proves the integrity of all elements of the team,” Gasperini concluded. (E-4)