Baroni: ‘I take full responsibility’ for humiliating 6-0 Lazio defeat

Marco Baroni takes ‘full responsibility’ for Lazio’s humiliating 6-0 defeat to Inter at the Stadio Olimpico. ‘The team crumbled on an emotional level and completely lost its shape.’

The Biancocelesti had been on sparkling form going in and level on 31 Serie A points with Inter, even if the Nerazzurri had a game in hand.

“Clearly, I am sad for the team and for the fans. I take all the responsibility for this defeat,” Baroni told DAZN.

“We had a good 40 minutes, but it was not enough, the team crumbled on an emotional level, we lost our shape and allowed things that you cannot gift to a strong side like Inter.

“Evidently I was not good at dealing with the emotional level of the squad and I take full responsibility for that. I already spoke to the team, now we have to work and get back on track.”

Baroni shields Lazio players

They had also started the game strong, but fell apart entirely after Mario Gila went off injured, replaced by Samuel Gigot.

It was Gigot who gave away the penalty for 1-0, then he went off at half-time too, Baroni moving Adam Marusic to a makeshift centre-back role because Alessio Romagnoli was already out of action.

“It should not happen for a team like ours to just lose our way. There were moments of bad luck, but it’s no excuse. I realise there is fatigue after so many games, but the team cannot fall apart like that and I take full responsibility. I am certain it will be a teachable moment.

“We got too stretched out, didn’t put in the tackles and you cannot do that against a team like Inter.”

Lazio had been unbeaten at home since March, winning 13 and drawing four in all competition, until this total capitulation in the Capital.

There are two different versions of Baroni’s Lazio, one with an extra midfielder, another using a trequartista in the 4-2-3-1 formation, and it was the latter this evening to begin with.

“When we have an attacking player who works between the lines, the team creates good situations and the wingers have mobility too. We have a lot of matches this season, there is fatigue, but we cannot lose our shape that badly,” noted Baroni.

“It is the first time it happened and we certainly cannot do that against a side like Inter that relishes stealing the ball to go on the counter.

“There is no 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 when the team just wasn’t in the right shape. We were stretched out, which we don’t usually do, and that is why we are able to generally handle having four attacking players.”

Despite the result, Lazio ultras called the players over to the Curva and saluted them for their efforts this season, continuing to sing and wave their flags.