Still feeling quietly satisfied after earning a hard-fought point away at Atalanta, I can’t say I was optimistic heading into this one. Juventus at home is always a big occasion, but with Lazio’s unpredictable form this season, confidence was hard to muster.
The journey down to the Olimpico, at least, started well — the train fare was a bargain, and thankfully the station was far calmer than on previous matchdays. The plan was simple: meet my good friend Marina for a proper liquid lunch and a long-overdue catch-up, then make our way to Ponte Milvio for a few pre-match pints before heading into the Curva Nord.
But as every football trip reminds you, even the best-laid plans can unravel in a heartbeat. Just as I was settling into the day, I got an emergency call from my wife back in Florence — she’d been robbed, her bag gone along with her purse and keys. Suddenly, the build-up to the game took a very different turn.
The Journey
I got the tram to Santa Maria Novella, grabbed a quick coffee and croissant, and was relieved to find the station much calmer after a week without any major protests. The train was about ten minutes late, but that wasn’t the end of the world.
While scrolling through Twitter (well, X), I couldn’t resist commenting on Lazioland’s post — saying I really hoped we’d win, as I wanted us to put the final nail in Igor Tudor’s coffin!
Once in Rome, I took the metro to Flaminio and then hopped on the replacement bus to Ponte Milvio. It was great to see that people could now go up the tower there, and later that day I noticed some Lazio ultras had even climbed it to hang a flag — a brilliant touch.
From there, I made my way slowly to my hotel. This time, I was trying somewhere new: the River Château. It’s a bit closer to Ponte Milvio and I’d walked past it many times before — a lovely-looking place that had always caught my eye. I chanced my arm and tried to check in early, and fortunately that wasn’t a problem.
I was due to meet Marina at 13:30 at Sugo, but in true Marina fashion, she messaged to say she was running a little late and asked if we could push lunch to 14:00 — which was absolutely fine by me. It gave me a chance to sit down, relax, and take it easy for a bit.
Lunch
While waiting for Marina, I bumped into Simone, who happened to be eating at Sugo as well. After a quick chat, I told him I’d catch up with him later.
Marina arrived shortly after, bringing along her new male friend — a fellow Lazio fan. Marina’s fantastic; she worked with me in Ireland and was both mine and Liosa’s student. She kindly told Matteo, her new friend, that I was a very good teacher — before, rather less kindly, adding that Liosa was the best teacher she’s ever had. I should add this is something I hear often… and, to be fair, it’s true!
We shared some fantastic meatballs and arrosticini (meat skewers from Abruzzo), followed by my pasta of choice — amatriciana. Naturally, this was enjoyed with a lovely bottle of Syrah from the Lazio region, and rounded off with a couple of amari. They were out of Amaro del Capo, but luckily had Jefferson — a wonderful digestivo that several friends and students had recommended.
Just before we finished, I spotted Lids, who came over to say hi, then saw Eva and Simone again. I hadn’t realised they were all together, so after introducing them to Marina and Matteo, I promised I’d catch up with them later. Sadly, due to what happened next, that never happened.
After lunch, Marina cheekily snuck off and paid the bill — but I told her it’s definitely mine and Liosa’s turn next time! We said our goodbyes and agreed to see each other again soon.
Ponte Milvio
I actually made a sensible choice for once — which isn’t exactly like me — and decided it was still a bit too early to head straight to Ponte Milvio for more beers. Instead, I went back to the hotel to rest up a bit before meeting Silvia and Stefano later.
It wasn’t long before Silvia messaged to say she was on her way, so I grabbed a quick coffee and headed back out. We met at Gondi, where I grabbed two Ceres — one for later and partly because I was paying with a €50 note.
The customer before me had paid with a €10 note, and the bar lady hadn’t been too pleased, so this time she was delighted when I handed over smaller change – It made things much smoother, and I even got a few proper notes back.
One of the best things about this season has been meeting new friends along the way. It’s been great seeing Silvia more regularly — we used to only bump into each other at derbies — and it’s been a pleasure getting to know Stefano too.
While we were catching up, James and his friend Ant came over to say hello. James was in the year above me at Solent and had reached out a few weeks earlier to say he was doing a groundhopping trip around Italy. Their weekend plan was ambitious: Milan vs Pisa on the Friday, Napoli vs Inter on the Saturday, and then Lazio vs Juventus on the Sunday. Proper commitment.
Silvia and Stefano went off to grab some food while I stayed to hold the table — along with Stefano’s scarf — and chatted with the two lads. We talked all things football: James about the pain of being a Southampton fan, and Ant about life following Leicester City — including the time he actually won a bet when they won the Premier League. Naturally, Claudio Ranieri came up in conversation, and Ant said it’s always a great talking point with Italians when travelling around the country.
Just as I was waiting for Silvia and Stefano to come back, my phone rang. It was my wife. I missed the first call but called back immediately — and that’s when my evening took a sudden, awful turn.
The Call
She sounded distraught — panicked, shaking, and barely able to speak. While walking back from the supermarket in Florence, some b*****d dressed head-to-toe in black had pulled up next to her on a scooter and snatched her bag.
Thankfully, she still had her phone in her pocket, but her keys and purse — along with her bank cards — were gone. A lovely lady nearby had rushed over to help and called the police, and a few others had stopped to comfort her. Sadly, one woman even questioned why she was carrying cash or a bag at all — but honestly, who thinks about that sort of thing? You should be able to walk home on a Sunday evening without worrying about being robbed.
I told her straight away: “I’m coming back.” I quickly explained to the lads what had happened, asked if they could give Stefano back his scarf, and left immediately to catch the first train north.
The Journey Back
I rushed back to the hotel, grabbed my things, and checked out — just a few hours after checking in. To add insult to injury, they still charged me the city tax. Typical.
With crowds building for the game, there was no point trying to grab a taxi straight away. I walked back across the bridge, ordered one from there, and headed for Termini. Luckily, I spotted a Frecciarossa train leaving in 15 minutes and didn’t think twice — I paid the €55 without blinking. It was going to Campo di Marte rather than the city centre, but it was still the quickest way home.
Once on board, the adrenaline started to fade and hunger kicked in. The guy opposite me was tucking into McDonald’s, which only made things worse. Not that I wanted McDonald’s, but the smell didn’t help.
As soon as we pulled into Florence, I got lucky again — there was just one taxi waiting outside the station, and I managed to grab it before anyone else.
Our friend Simone, who’s also a Lazio fan, had kindly offered to pick up Liosa, but she declined. She wanted to wait outside the apartment near the dogs, just to make sure the thieves didn’t try anything else.
I jumped out of the cab, ran up the stairs, and finally saw her. Thankfully, she wasn’t hurt — just shaken, a mix of sadness, anger, and disbelief.
The Match
Sadly, I missed the game — and with that, my run officially came to an end. After all the travelling, planning, and anticipation, it felt strange not to be there in the Curva Nord. But later that night, once things had calmed down, I re-watched the match — and what a performance it was.
Despite my own evening taking a worrying turn, Lazio produced a display to be proud of back at the Olimpico. Against a Juventus side desperate to steady their season, it was the Biancocelesti who showed the greater determination and composure, sealing a hard-fought 1–0 victory thanks to an unlikely hero.
Toma Bašić, back in the starting eleven, delivered the decisive moment midway through the second half. Arriving perfectly to meet a cross from the left, his composed finish sent the Curva Nord into raptures and handed Lazio a priceless lead. It was a reminder of the Croatian’s technical quality and work rate — a player who’s quietly stepped up whenever called upon this season.
At the other end, Ivan Provedel was immense — and rightly named Man of the Match. The Lazio goalkeeper made several crucial saves, including a brilliant stop to late on, commanding his area with total authority and showing the kind of focus that’s made him one of Serie A’s most dependable shot-stoppers.
Defensively, Lazio were disciplined and compact, with Romagnoli and Gila forming a solid partnership at the back. Juventus pressed hard in the closing stages, but Sarri’s side held firm to claim a morale-boosting win — one that once again proved their ability to rise to the occasion against the big sides.
It was a victory that meant a lot — especially after the turbulence of recent weeks — and one that, even from afar, managed to lift my spirits amid the chaos back in Florence.
The Matchday Experience
| Category | Details |
| Stadium Name | Stadio Olimpico, Rome |
| Attendance | 54,000 (approx.) |
| Ticket Price | €45 (Curva Nord) but part of season ticket |
| Travel Costs | Initially €17,90 going to Rome and €22.90 but after the call it was €55 for the Frecciarossa train back to Florence + €28 taxi from the station. |
| Hotel | River Château (still charged city tax!) – €121.50 plus €7 city tax. |
| Beer-o-Meter | ★★★½☆ (3.5/5) – Ceres at Ponte Milvio hit the spot, but the evening didn’t go as planned |
| Food | Fantastic arrosticini and amatriciana at Sugo, plus Jefferson amaro to finish |
| Waiting Time / Stress Level | Through the roof – emergency return to Florence after the robbery |
| Highlight of the Day | Meeting Marina, enjoying a great lunch, and later discovering Bašić’s winner on replay |
| Lowlight of the Day | The robbery – and missing my first Lazio game of the season (the former was obviously worse) |
| Overall Experience | Bittersweet. A great win on the pitch but an unforgettable day for all the wrong reasons |
The Aftermath
The following day, the first priority was to get the locks changed. The timing couldn’t have been worse — Liosa hadn’t been feeling well and was supposed to visit the doctor on Monday, but that had to wait. Thankfully, she managed to book an appointment for Tuesday instead.
We cancelled our cards as quickly as possible, though a couple of transactions still went through before they were blocked — we’ll see how that plays out. The most important thing, though, was that she wasn’t hurt. Everything else could be replaced.
On Tuesday, we went to the Carabinieri to file a report. As a football fan, walking into a Carabinieri station always makes me feel slightly uneasy — even though I’ve never done anything wrong. I couldn’t help but think of the anti-Carabinieri chants often sung by Lazio fans… though Liosa quickly told me to stop humming them, warning it might bring us more bad luck!
Conclusion
On the pitch, it was a brave battle and an excellent result — a deserved 1–0 win against Juventus, full of spirit and determination. And, as it turned out, it really was the final nail in Igor Tudor’s coffin — he was sacked the following Monday.
But beyond football, the weekend left a sadness and bitter taste. The joy of victory was overshadowed by what happened to my wife — that sense of violation, fear, and helplessness no one should ever have to feel.
We both still love Florence deeply, but it’s hard to ignore the frustration that’s built up over the years. In the last five years alone, our apartment has been broken into, Liosa has been mugged, our e-scooter was stolen, one bike disappeared completely, and another lost a wheel and two saddles. It’s exhausting.
When I spoke to my friend Francesco about it, he summed it up perfectly:
“It annoys me that honest people like you and me work our asses off, and then things like this happen.”
At first, I wasn’t sure whether to carry on with my Domenica Bastardi journey or just stick to home games. But after speaking to a few friends — and with Liosa’s support — I’ve decided to keep going.
I might not hit all 38 games this season anymore, but that’s fine. Life got in the way — and that’s part of the story too. For now, the goal is simple: not to miss another league match. Because after everything, following Lazio still feels like the one constant that keeps me grounded — through the chaos, the joy, and the heartbreak.
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