Lazio vs Milan 2-2: Leao Spares Fonseca More Blushes

Rafael Leao came to the rescue for Milan on Saturday night as he found the net one minute after being introduced with the Rossoneri down 1-2 to Lazio. Milan salvaged one point at the Stadio Olimpico but failed once again to record their first win this season at the end of yet another unconvincing performance. 

Leao was dropped to the bench by coach Paulo Fonseca together with Theo Hernandez after their lackadaisical performance one week ago in Parma. But the Portuguese coach eventually had to introduce both his stars as part of a major turnover in the middle of the second half after Lazio stormed back to cancel Strahinja Pavlovic’s early opener for the visitors.

Leao and Hernandez refused to join their teammates during a cooling break a few minutes later, supposedly in protest against their coach’s punishment. That’s another sign that these are troubled times at Milan and Fonseca has much work to do.

As for Lazio, Marco Baroni can be happy about his side’s reaction after the Biancocelesti ended the first period down by one goal. They turned the match upside down in the space of four minutes as Nuno Tavares served two assists for Taty Castellanos and Boulaye Dia’s almost identical tap-ins.   

The match was preceded by a touching tribute to Sven Goran Eriksson, the coach who led Lazio to their last Scudetto back in the 1999/2000 season, who passed away earlier this week. 

The Biancocelesti had an aggressive start and forced Milan’s Pavlovic to clear the ball right on the goal line from Dia’s incursion that caught the Milan back line by surprise.

The gigantic center back from Serbia was once again the most positive note in the Rossoneri‘s shaky lineup. A few minutes after saving the day for Milan, he headed the ball past Ivan Provedel from a Christian Pulisic corner, bringing the visitors ahead eight minutes into the game.

Milan gained courage as Lazio struggled to advance past their midfield line. The Rossoneri could have added one more to their tally before half time but Ruben Loftus-Cheek came a split second too late and failed to connect with Pulisic’s cross from the left side. That was the best moment for Paulo Fonseca’s lineup. 

However, things changed fast after the restart. Baroni immediately made some changes as he introduced Adam Marusic and Gustav Isaksen. The latter had an immediate impact on the game and became an absolute scourge for the Rossoneri along the right flank, while Nuno Tavares’s incursions on the opposite side had the same effect.

Lazio’s pressure bore fruit on 62 minutes as Tavares dashed past Emerson Royal and whipped the ball in the middle of the box, finding Castellanos ready to push it past Mike Maignan. Four minutes later, Lazio had their second by following pretty much the same scheme: This time, it was the former Salernitana striker Dia to write his name into the scoresheet, taking advantage of Milan’s abysmal defending.  

Paulo Fonseca’s quadruple substitution on 71 minutes might be either seen as a stroke of genius or as a major reconsideration on the part of the Portuguese coach. Rafael Leao and Hernandez were finally introduced, together with Tammy Abraham and Yunus Musah. 

While it is true the Milan found the final equalizer less than one minute later, with Leao piercing Provedel after a brilliant exchange with the former Roma man Abraham, changing four men all together puts a question mark over his initial strategy, including the decision to bench two of his major stars. 

Leao and Hernandez somehow made themselves heard as they remained alone on the other side of the pitch while the rest of the Rossoneri joined their coach when a cooling break was called a few minutes later. 

Rebuilding the trust and the relationship with his two key players will have to be Fonseca’s main focus in the coming weeks, possibly even more that a Milan side that still leaves much to be desired. On that note, the international break is probably the best thing that could happen for a Rossoneri roster that is yet to find its identity.  

 

MATCH SCORECARD

August 31, 2024 – Serie A 2024/25 Round 3
LAZIO – MILAN 2-2

SCORERS: 8′ Pavlovic (M), 62′ Castellanos (L), 66′ Dia (L), 72′ Rafael Leao (M)

REFEREE: Mr. Massa from Imperia
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Rovella, Zaccagni, Patric, Guendouzi (L), Fofana, Terracciano (M); Added Time: 1st Half 2′, 2nd Half 5′