Lazio finished their match against Sassuolo with extraordinary vigour, triumphing 6-2 at home. The match, played at the Mapei Stadium, was characterized by eight goals, two missed penalties and the expulsion of Thorstvedt, which left the Biancocelesti with ten men after just over an hour of play. With this victory, Gennaro Gattuso's team regained the solitary top spot in the table, reaching 25 points and positioning themselves to await Inter, who will have to face Venezia the following day.
After the match, Gattuso spoke to DAZN, underlining the importance of mentality and aggressive attitude. He said that when the team is not aggressive, you need to focus on the defensive block. He also recalled the experience of playing with ten men in the past, as happened against Monza, and reiterated that the ranking must not become a burden: "we shouldn't look at the ranking, otherwise we'll get a headache". The coach concluded that the vehemence with which Lazio plays puts their opponent in difficulty and that the team must continue to exploit this strength.
Meanwhile, the former referee designator for Serie A and B, Gianluca Rocchi, has submitted his resignation from Assoarbitri. Rocchi, associated with the organization since 1987, was replaced by Orsato before the start of the season. According to TMW's sources, his resignation has been formally received and will need additional steps to be made official. The process is already underway and should take a few days. Rocchi, who has been a commentator for DAZN for a few weeks, could have the chance to reopen the door to refereeing, even at an international level, as other prominent former referees have done in the past.
In other news, the young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal received third place at the Ballon d'Or, an achievement he celebrated with humility and determination. 2007 published a message on his social channels in which he expressed confidence in his path and that “good things take time”. He closed his post with congratulations to the winners and with a commitment to bringing Barcelona back to winning ways.