2019-10-24: Celtic 2-1 Lazio, UEFA Cup

Trivia

Review

Lazio boss Simone Inzahgi has showered Celtic Park with praise. The Italian saw his side defeated 2-1 in front of an electric atmosphere. He said: "The Celtic game is a match I will be telling my children about for many years. In fact, I actually brought my oldest child with me because I knew how good it would be. "Yes, we lost to Celtic , but they are a quality team who play at a very high pace and to a very good standard. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Fraser Forster:

Teams

Celtic

• 67 Forster
• 33 Elhamed· Substituted for Bitton at 83'minutes
• 2 Jullien Booked at 77mins
• 35 Ajer Booked at 90mins
• 23 Bolingoli-Mbombo · Substituted for Hayes at 85' minutes
• 8 Brown
• 42 McGregor
• 49 Forrest
• 17 Christie
• 27 Elyounoussi Booked at 62mins Substituted for Rogic at 66' minutes
• 22 Edouard

Substitutes

• 1Gordon
• 6Bitton
• 10Bayo
• 11Sinclair
• 13Bauer
• 15Hayes
• 18Rogic

Goals

• Christie (67' minutes),
• Jullien (89' minutes)

Lazio

• 1Strakosha
• 15Jacinto Quissanga Booked at 76mins
• 93Vavro
• 33Acerbi
• 29Lazzari
• 16Parolo
• 6Leiva
• 21Milinkovic-Savic
• 22Rodríguez Menéndez· Substituted for Lulic at 69'minutes

• 11Correa · Substituted for Immobile at 73' minutes
• 20Caicedo Substituted for Cataldi at 85' minutes Booked at 87mins
  

• 3Ramos Marchi
• 4Gabarrón Gil
• 7Berisha
• 17Immobile
• 19Lulic
• 23Guerrieri
• 32Cataldi

Goals

• Lazzari (40' minutes)

Referee:
Ivan Bebek
Att: 58000

Articles

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• Winner –

Stats

Celtic
Lazio

Possession
Home50%
Away50%

Shots
Home14
Away10

Shots on Target
Home2
Away5

Corners
Home5
Away3

Fouls
Home10
Away8

Articles

BBC

By Thomas Duncan

BBC Scotland

From the section Europa League

Celtic v Lazio
Christopher Jullien's towering header snatched victory for Celtic

Christopher Jullien glanced in a towering header two minutes from time as Celtic came from behind to earn a potentially priceless Europa League win against Lazio.

Trailing to Manuel Lazzari's opener, Celtic faced slipping to third in the group with a trip to Rome to come. However, Ryan Christie swept in the equaliser with 23 minutes remaining before Jullien rose highest to head in.

And, in a frantic finish, Fraser Forster's stunning stop denied Danilo Cataldi to keep Celtic top of Group E.

The victory, coupled with Cluj's 1-0 win in Rennes, means Neil Lennon's side lead the way with seven points from three games, a point ahead of the Romanian champions.

Lazio are a further three points back, with Rennes propping up the section with just one point so far.

Much of the build-up had focused on the subject of racism after Lazio were ordered to close four sections of the Stadio Olimpico for the return match against Celtic in two weeks after racist behaviour in their previous match against Rennes.

Neil Lennon said he would support his players if they walked off in the face of abuse, and midfielder Christie echoed those sentiments, and when a section of Lazio fans were pictured making fascist salutes in Glasgow pre-match there was apprehension of another disturbing night. But, thankfully, the focus became the hugely absorbing tactical battle on the pitch.

This display perfectly illustrated Celtic's approach under Lennon. It's a high risk, high-reward strategy which involves commendable commitment to fast-paced attack and a high press which causes teams problems, but also leaves them regularly exposed.

On the evidence of the first half, it would have been described as naive, given how a much-changed Lazio side expertly absorbed Celtic's fast start, while patiently waiting for their own opportunity to strike, and when it came they ruthlessly exposed their over-zealous hosts.

As Christie rifled a shot into two defenders, Celtic's left-back Boli Bolingoli was entering the Lazio box and, seconds later, Joaquin Correra slipped through Lazzari, who finished brilliantly across Forster having bust a gut to occupy the precise spot where Bolingoli – or at least a covering midfielder- ought to have been.

There was no evidence of a change of approach initially after the break, and the opening 15 minutes of the second period yielded more of the same. The definition of madness is how one might have reflected at the time. But as Celtic continued to pour forward, the madness increasingly came with method.

Moments before Christie beautifully side-footed the equaliser past Thomas Strakosha, the Scotland midfielder had been denied by the Lazio goalkeeper after he and Mohamed Elyounoussi's ferocious pressing gave Odsonne Edouard the opportunity to set him up.

When Edouard did the same for the leveller, Celtic were building momentum and Lazio, so composed in defence for 60 minutes, looked rattled.

But the hosts' vulnerability never vanished. Correra rattled a post at 1-0 after Lazio countered and Forster pulled off two incredible stops to first deny Marco Parolo from putting Lazio back in front and then Cataldi from equalising in the dying seconds. Celtic were walking the thinnest of tightropes.

But surviving those late scares, coupled with Jullien's towering, thundering header, meant it was a night where Celtic can reflect on a tightrope expertly walked, and a win that could prove crucial in securing passage to the knockout stages. High risk, high reward.

Several players caught the eye, on both sides, at various stages. Lazio were fabulously fluid going forward with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Correa and Lazzari giving Celtic all sorts of problems on the counter-attack.

For Celtic, Christie impressed in flashes, not least with his goal. Hatem Elhamed also had a fine game, solid in defence and skilful in attack, with some delightful first-half flicks and tricks. And there were also two fabulous saves from Fraser Forster. But one player towered above the rest, and not just because he's not far off two metres tall. Jullien didn't put a foot wrong all night.

Commanding in the air, great with the ball at his feet, and with a superb range of passing that turned defence into attack on more than one occasion, the French centre-back can feel very happy with his performance. He was deemed not quite ready, or fit enough, for the Champions League qualification defeat by Cluj but, since then, he has grown game by game. The £7m investment looks well spent.
Match stats

Celtic are the first Scottish club to win against an Italian side since October 2007 (also Celtic v AC Milan 2-1 in Champions League)
Lazio have lost six of their past seven Europa League games, with the only exception a 2-1 victory against Rennes.
Celtic (W2 D1) have avoided defeat in their opening three games of a Europa League campaign for the first time since 2014-15
Lazio have conceded in each of their past 13 European games; their longest ever run without a clean sheet
Lazzari's goal was his first in 47 games in all competitions, since netting for SPAL in Serie A in March 2018
Christie is the first Celtic player to both score and assist in a European game (excluding qualifiers) since Paul McGowan against Rapid Vienna in December 2009.

Celtic 2 – 1 Lazio: Jullien's late header secures comeback for Lennon's men

Stephen Halliday
Email
Published: 22:03 Thursday 24 October 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-2-1-lazio-jullien-s-late-header-secures-comeback-for-lennon-s-men-1-5032684
Neil Lennon’s first victory over Italian opposition as Celtic manager was worth the wait for the Scottish champions as they came from behind to overcome Lazio and cement their position at the top of Europa League Group E.

It was a triumph of courage and sheer will from Lennon’s men who refused to bow to what appeared an inevitable setback when Manuel Lazzari gave the Rome side a half-time lead.

Ryan Christie’s 12th goal of the season drew Celtic level and while they rode their luck at times and were indebted to some top quality goalkeeping from Fraser Forster, they more than earned the three points secured by Christopher Jullien’s 89th minute winner.

Lennon placed his trust in the same starting line-up which had turned in such a commanding performance in beating Cluj at Celtic Park on matchday two of the group but his players quickly discovered that imposing themselves on Lazio would be far more challenging.

While Celtic enjoyed significant spells of possession from the outset, they were confronted by opponents whose defensive diligence and tactical discipline was straight out of the Serie A playbook.

An early goal may have spared the hosts much of the frustration they experienced but Odsonne Edouard’s first glimmer of an opportunity, carved out by a thrusting James Forrest run down the right in the third minute, was defied by a superb block from Lazio’s Angolan central defender Bastos.

Christie came closest to making the breakthrough for Celtic in the often frenetic opening stages, his purely struck shot from around 22 yards thumping against

Thomas Strakosha’s left hand post with the Lazio goalkeeper scrambling anxiously.

Former Liverpool player Lucas Leiva was the fulcrum for the exemplary organisation of the visitors’ work, the veteran Brazilian gradually setting a platform for the more creative talent around him to start asking questions of the Celtic defence.

Fraser Forster was forced into action for the first time in the 17th minute and the Celtic ‘keeper was less than convincing as he spilled Joaquin Correa’s shot before Jullien stepped in to clear the danger.

Forster was more assured when he clutched a Bastos header from Jony’s corner a minute later as the visitors continued to probe intelligently.

A surging break on the left from Edouard brought renewed encouragement for the home fans, the striker linking well with Christie to find Forrest on the right side of the penalty area but the winger could not get the ball out from under his feet.

Edouard was generally being well policed by Lazio but Jullien’s brilliant diagonal pass out of defence created an opening for the striker on the left. He appeared fractionally slow to react, however, and Strakosha was able to rush from his line and snuff out the threat.

As Celtic tried to up the tempo before half-time, Callum McGregor came close with a shot from the edge of the box which dipped narrowly over.

But it was Lazio who opened the scoring five minute from the interval with a stunning counter-attacking goal. Felipe Caicedo secured possession and fed Correa who quickly shuttled the ball to Lazzari who was thundering down the right.

With Celtic left-back Boli Bolingoli stranded upfield, Lazzari bustled his way into the penalty area and lashed a right foot shot high beyond Forster from the corner of the six yard box.

The signs were ominous for Celtic at this stage against a Lazio side who appeared both content and more than capable of defending their lead.

Lennon’s men were admirably undaunted, forcing themselves firmly onto the front foot after the break. Mohamed Elyounoussi, badly out of touch for most of his time on the pitch, should have done better with an effort which was blocked by Denis Vavro.

There was another telling intervention from Vavro when he got in the way of a close range shot from Christie who had been played in by Edouard’s cute back-heeled pass as Celtic tried to prise open the Lazio defence.

It looked as if the hosts would be undone on the counter-attack again in the 65th minute but Lazio were denied what would surely have been an unassailable 2-0 advantage when Correa beat Forster but saw his shot strike the ‘keeper’s right hand post.

Celtic, with Tom Rogic replacing Elyounoussi, made the most of their let-off as they claimed an equaliser two minutes later. Lazio’s defensive solidity deserted them on this occasion as Edouard found space and time to measure a pass inside to Christie who swept a first time left foot shot beyond Strakosha from just inside the penalty area.

As Celtic committed themselves to the pursuit of a winner in the closing stages of an increasingly gripping spectacle, Lazio twice threatened to land a sucker punch. Forster made a magnificent save to deny visiting skipper Marco Parolo’s close range effort, then substitute Ciro Immobile dragged a simple chance wide.

Celtic’s persistence and resilience paid off with Jullien’s dramatic winner, the big French defender rising imperiously to head home Christie’s corner and send most of Celtic Park into a state of delirium.

The drama wasn’t over, Forster making a breathtaking save from Danilo Cataldi’s 95th minute thunderbolt to ensure Celtic remain in pole position to progress to the knockout stages of the tournament.

'A joke', 'undeserved defeat' – Italian press react to Celtic's win over Lazio at a 'hot and historic' Parkhead
Joel Sked
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/a-joke-undeserved-defeat-italian-press-react-to-celtic-s-win-over-lazio-at-a-hot-and-historic-parkhead-1-5032729Published: 07:38 Friday 25 October 2019
Lazio played well at Parkhead but were undone by Neil Lennon's strong and competitive Celtic side. How did the Rome side and Italian press react?

All publications were in agreement with regards to Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster and his importance in the win for the home side.

Alessandro Menghi, writing in Corriere dello Sport, called the Englishman "unbelievable", while Nicola Berardino, in Gazzetta dello Sport, went for "miraculous".

It meant the Italian press were left to rue the missed chances from the visitors.

Antonio Farinola wrote in la Repubblica that it was "an undeserved defeat, but (makes it) very difficult in terms of qualification".

"A manly match, without a minute's pause, played at very high pace and with a suffocating pressure

"Simone Inzaghi's men responded blow for blow, suffering at times to an opponent who in this stadium plays with the extra man, the public".

Farinola also praised the referee Ivan Bebek.

"He did not let himself be overcome by the heat of the third largest stadium in the United Kingdom."

Hot environment

Menghi called the result a "una beffa", a joke, lamenting the poor finishing of Lazio – Joaquin Correa's shot off the post and Marco Parolo's effort "stopped by a miraculous intervention by Forster".

He did note the atmosphere, something which Lazio tamed as the game went on.

Menghi wrote: "Cold climate, very hot environment. In the historic theatre of the Scots, Celtic Park, 60 thousand spectators sing "You'll never walk alone" and welcome Lazio, supported by 1355 biancocelesti fans. High tempo, intense game, the home crowd is heard

"Until the 60' (minute) Celtic is not seen, the warmth of the home crowd has also fallen, thanks to Lazio, which suffers only Christie's shot."

Berardino also recognised the way Lazio were able to frustrate the home side.

"(A) start that tries to surprise Lazio even with the emotional charge that emanates from the stands," he said, before the Neil Lennon's men struggled "to find the coordinates of its game".

Emiliano Bernardini in Il Messaggero summed up Lazio.

"Lazio finds itself fragile and unfinished. Beautiful in half. Courageous for a fixed term. Full-time inconclusive."

Simone Inzaghi was full of praise for Celtic but regretted not winning.

"We played a great game against a valuable team, but it is difficult to digest a defeat of this kind," the Lazio boss said. "The second goal came from an individual error, on those occasions the marking should never be lost.

“It’s a pity, we deserved more in this wonderful arena.”

Goal scorer Manuel Lazzari said: "Physically they are animals, unfortunately they punished us on a corner kick."

Why the Celtic support were right to send a particular message to Lazio

Celtic fans with a message to the Lazio support. Picture: SNS
Celtic fans with a message to the Lazio support. Picture: SNS
Joel Sked
Email
Published: 15:55 Friday 25 October 2019
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/why-the-celtic-support-were-right-to-send-a-particular-message-to-lazio-1-5033242?fbclid=IwAR1h_EzmdaqPMxUEJ8R4hy-IzItHWBw1ZQK5828F10GMB7ZQfu7sFJoVKPY
Walking down London Road more than an hour before Celtic and Lazio kicked off under the lights at Parkhead there was the sense that it was a big occasion.

Every fan seemed to be moving that little bit quicker as if someone had accidentally sat on the remote and hit fast forward. Motorists turned into driving experts, calculating angles, weighing up distances, manoeuvring into spaces you would normally leave alone; between trees, on pavements or corners. Any other day it would suggest the car had been abandoned.

The Green Brigade, dressed in their distinguishable green, banners and drum in tow, moved in unison towards the luminous stadium, towering incongruously over the nearby buildings, as if an otherworldly craft had chosen the East End of Glasgow as the place in which to decamp.

Turning left, a battalion of police officers and their protected vans lined the street across from a packed Turnstiles Bar with prescient music setting the scene for a night of celebration.

A couple of young supporters were in the back of the police vans, while outside officers huddled around as one told of a scuffle between the two sets of supporters by a burger van. Their voices and the music were soon drowned out by the barking of police dogs, demanding they be freed from their captivity and allowed to roam the streets, sweeping up the atmosphere for themselves.

It's these sights and sounds, before even setting foot into the ground, which makes football such a joyously addictive spectacle. Friends and families discussing, analysing and predicting what is about to unfold, some breaking into song, others just trying to make sure they get one foot in front of another having plied themselves with whatever is their tipple, or whatever they can get their hands on.

It is even more stimulating for evening matches; under the street lights, under the floodlights. The placid nature of a weekend fixture is swapped for a buzz, like beasties transfixed by light.

It was at stark contrast odds to the Lazio fans. Or more accurately the club's ultras.

Roman Salute

Fascist figures festooned in black; faces covered, arms raised out in front, in the middle of the day, advancing through the centre of Glasgow. Cretinous creatures, revealing their ideology of hate so brazenly out in the open. If leaders of countries can do similar, as well as lie and obfuscate, then why can't they.

The club had previously pleaded with the support to not give fascist salutes having been punished with a partial stadium closure for the upcoming game with Celtic in Rome after incidents at the Europa League clash with Rennes.

Lazio security manager, Nicolo D'Angelo, said: "Unfortunately, we still have a minority of fans who believe it's acceptable to give the Roman Salute and to make racist comments.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon is encouraged by the coefficient points whihc have been added to Scotland's tally. Picture: Ian MacNicol/Getty
Neil Lennon: Champions…

Lazio supporters are escorted to Celtic Park. Picture John Devlin
Police in Glasgow make five arrests…

"This is unacceptable and no longer tolerable. We want there to be a healthy relationship with the fans, not this relationship, which has been spoiled for so many years."

It was clearly ignored.

Police were out in numbers to prevent violence in the city and around the ground.

As the match got underway in front of a capacity crowd at Parkhead, all the action was on the pitch as Celtic boss Neil Lennon hoped. There was little to no tension among the two sets of supporters in the ground.

Then not long after the 20th minute, fans in the corner of the Lisbon Lions stand, in the area of the Green Brigade, unfurled a banner which summed up the views of not just Celtic fans but football supporters around the world.

'Lazio Vaffanculo'.

Some scribblers tried to circumnavigate the treacherous connectivity problems which are a staple of the Celtic Park press box to translate the message, as some may have done in the home ends.

Yet, their answer swiftly followed.

'F**k off Lazio' was the chant. It grew louder and louder, reverberating around the ground. The message was clear as it was simple: anti-Lazio, anti-fascism, anti-hate.

Uefa charges

In one slice of the cavernous Celtic Park cake, 1300 or so travelling fans were angered, some of whom would have been among the hordes traipsing through Glasgow who were filmed doing the Roman Salute.

The banner was one of many aimed against the right-wing among the Lazio support.

Already there has been talk of the meaning behind certain banners and of Uefa charges.

"All associations and clubs are liable for the following inappropriate behaviour on the part of their supporters and may be subject to disciplinary measures and directives even if they can prove the absence of any negligence in relation to the organisation of the match," as per article 16, section 2 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations 2019 states.

Which includes "the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature."

Certain sections of the Celtic support have had their run ins and disagreements with some decisions taken by the club, whether it is relating to ticket prices or pyrotechnics.

Only on Saturday, in the 6-0 win over Ross County, fans had arranged a protest against their own club over the price of away tickets, having done so on their travels at Hamilton and Hibs – a noble cause.

With regards to the anti-fascist banners on Thursday night it will be interesting how the club take any prospective charge.

But the simple 'Lazio vaffanculo' banner is one which wasn't just a message to fans of the Italian teams, but an obvious one to fans of every club, including their own. Racism and fascism is not acceptable.

It was a message the players helped to deliver on the night, Christopher Jullien heading in a late winner provoking one last rousing chant of 'f**k off Lazio'.