Coach Sarri regrets not winning by more than Bayern

Italy coach Maurizio Sarri regrets that Lazio did not score more goals while playing with an extra man in the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

In the 90th minute, when Lazio were leading 1-0 and had an extra man, midfielder Felipe Anderson faced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer but hesitated and let center back Kim Min-jae rush in to block the ball. Lazio players raised their hands in regret, because Anderson could not score another goal for the home team.

Coach Maurizio Sarri regrets the match Lazio won Bayern Munich 1-0 at Olimpico Stadium, Rome, Italy, first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on the evening of February 14, 2024. Photo: Lapresse

Such missed chances made coach Sarri somewhat unhappy, despite his team's surprising victory. "I am extremely satisfied because I defeated a top European team like Bayern, but regret not winning by a bigger margin," he said after the match. "This victory is the result of diligence, effort and endurance."

Lazio played a defensive counter-attacking game, only having possession for 39% of the time, but not allowing Bayern to create any dangerous chances. The expected goals statistic showed that Bayern's total shot probability was 130%, compared to Lazio's 200%. "Lazio created many good chances, and fortunately we took advantage of one situation to score," added the 65-year-old coach.

Lazio had one more man from the 67th minute, when centre-back Dayot Upamecano kicked midfielder Gustav Isaksen's ankle and received a red card. The referee also awarded Lazio a penalty, allowing striker Ciro Immobile to score the only goal of the match from the 11m mark. The home team had two other chances, notably Isaksen's one-on-one but his shot was saved by Neuer with his foot.

This was Lazio's first win in the Champions League knockout stages since a 1-0 win over Valencia in the quarter-finals in 2000. The only other season they reached the last 16 was in 2021, but they lost both legs 6-2 on aggregate to Bayern. This time, the Italian club got revenge, although there is still work to do in the second leg in Germany three weeks later. "We know we will go through hell in Munich," Sarri stressed.

Hoang An

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