Lazio came to spoil a night of farewells at Juventus as Sergej Milinković-Savić’s last gasp equaliser secured a famous comeback for the side from the capital. On the night the Juventus faithful said farewell to veteran Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala, Maurizio Sarri’s side confirmed their qualification to the UEFA Europa League (UEL).
On a night reserved for defensive stalwart Chiellini’s farewell, it was the performances of two attackers that shone in the first half at the Allianz Stadium. Opening the scoring in clinical fashion, Dušan Vlahović arrived late at the back post to convert Álvaro Morata’s deep cross and fire the home side in front. The creator would turn into the goal scorer later in the half, when Morata curled home a splendid right-footed strike to double Juventus’ advantage and assert their dominance over Lazio.
Either side of the goals, the Allianz Stadium offered a warm embrace to legendary defender Chiellini, who was donning a Juventus shirt at home for the final time. A career that spanned close to two decades with the Turin-based outfit, ended with the 37-year-old taking in a lap of appreciation mid-game. Pure emotion in the terraces was matched by Chiellini, whose presence within the Juventus side feels almost irreplaceable.
While they may have missed out on Champions League football at the expense of Juventus, Lazio weren’t prepared to let this game turn into a precession for the hosts. Reinvigorated after the break, Maurizio Sarri’s side struck back almost immediately after HT, when Patric’s header was turned goal bound by Alex Sandro. As the ball was heading wide off the initial effort, the Juventus defender was credited with an unwanted own goal.
Much to the annoyance of Sarri in the visiting dugout, Juventus continued with their farewells, just as Lazio began to gain a foothold in the clash. This time, Paulo Dybala, whose laboured walk off the pitch struck the Lazio manager’s nerve, who was unhappy with the time-wasting tactics adopted by opposite number Massimiliano Allegri. Ultimately, the antics of the hosts would prove their downfall, as deep into the allotted five additional minutes, Milinković-Savić roofed a rebounded shot into the Juventus net, while securing UEL football for the visitors in the process.
