Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 10:43 PM• Jonathan van Haaster

Lazio has lost expensive points in the battle for a Champions League ticket. The Romans did not get further than 0-0 at Bologna, which had the better part of the game. As a result, Lazio will travel to Alkmaar next week with a slight hangover, where it will be decided with AZ which club qualifies for the quarterfinals of the Conference League. Lazio lost the first leg 1-2 against AZ on Thursday. In Serie A, Lazio remains in third place and knows that AS Roma and AC Milan can overtake the team in the ranking. Bologna is pretty seventh.

At Bologna, Jerdy Schouten appeared as expected at the kick-off. The Dutchman was central in midfield next to Nikola Moro. Musa Barrow was the lone striker in the Bologna system. The Gambian was supported at his back by Giorgos Kyriakopoulos, Lewis Ferguson and Michel Aebischer. Joshua Zirkzee started on the bench. Lazio still had to do without Ciro Immobile, who was replaced in the rush hour by Felipe Anderson. Pedro and Mattia Zaccagni were the wing forwards, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was also in the starting line-up. Adam Marusic was missing due to a suspension.

Bologna was the parent in the first half. Trainer Thiago Motta saw Barrow in particular becoming threatening, but his greatest chance flew just over the crossbar. On behalf of Lazio, Pedro, who was still accurate against AZ midweek, had a good opportunity. The Spaniard was in a promising position, but saw his shot go wide. After half an hour the 1-0 was almost there. Ferguson, however, headed against the post from close range. A few minutes later, Barrow encountered Ivan Provedel, while Anderson on the other hand had to acknowledge his superior in Lukasz Skorupski. In the injury time of the first half, Schouten was still close to the opening goal. The midfielder fired a low shot towards the corner, but Provedel again showed that he had good reflexes.

The first major danger after the break came in the name of Kyriakopoulos. The Greek received the ball on the left side of the box and saw his effort fly a few meters wide of the post. Just before the hour of play, Zirkzee was brought in, while Schouten was taken off five minutes later. Lazio disappointed, while a goal for Bologna seemed closer. Barrow, for example, placed a dangerous free kick in Lazio’s sixteen, which was released with a fright. Moments later, Zirkzee was important with an interception, allowing Barrow to swing. The Gambian saw his devastating shot fly just wide of Provedel’s goal.