Lazio defender Alessio Romagnoli was sent off as the Biancocelesti were beaten 3-0 at home by Inter on Sunday, a result that leaves Maurizio Sarri's side eighth in Serie A with 51 points from 36 matches — and Romagnoli suspended for the derby.
The timing could scarcely be worse. Lazio and Inter meet again at the Olimpico on 13 May in the Coppa Italia final, and while the red card does not affect that fixture, it removes Romagnoli from any league involvement in the immediate term. For a 31-year-old captain who has started 29 matches this season and carries the defensive leadership of this squad, the absence is felt beyond the individual game.
Lautaro MartÃnez, Susic, and Mkhitaryan scored for Inter coach Cristian Chivu's side, who were already crowned champions of Italy. The scoreline was emphatic, and Sarri offered a candid, self-critical assessment afterwards, acknowledging problems with his side's attitude. Romagnoli's dismissal only deepened the wound.
The broader picture for Romagnoli this season is one of quiet, consistent contribution. Across 29 Serie A appearances he has not contributed a goal or an assist, but his average rating of 7.00 reflects a defender doing the fundamental work without drama — until Sunday. An AI overall score of 75 out of 100 places him as a reliable rather than elite operator at this level, and at 31 his ceiling, assessed at 72, suggests the club values him for what he is rather than what he might become.
Lazio's season — 13 wins, 12 draws, 11 defeats, 39 goals scored and 37 conceded — reads as a campaign of persistent mediocrity rather than collapse. Eighth place is defensible but uninspiring, and a 3-0 home defeat to the champions, punctuated by a captain's red card, is not the preparation Sarri would have chosen before a cup final against the same opponent.
Romagnoli will watch the derby from the stands. Whether Lazio can reorganise their defence in time to make the Coppa Italia final competitive is the more pressing question.