Domenica Bastardi

Domenica Bastardi – Game 28 of 38: Lazio leave it late as Marušić header secures crucial win after boycott weekend and Six Nations trip

by
Scott Balaam
13 March 2026

The boycott continued — but this time there was no meeting at Ponte Milvio or march to the stadium like there had been ahead of the Atalanta game in the cup.

Rumours circulated that the club had sold only around 2,000 tickets for the match — once again underlining that the fans were making a serious statement.

Exactly how much this hits Claudio Lotito and Lazio’s pockets is difficult to measure. Matchday ticket sales alone are not the club’s primary revenue stream, but empty seats inevitably affect the club’s image, the stadium atmosphere, and potentially future sponsorship deals.

Fortunately, after a painful couple of months, Lazio finally got three points on the board, winning 2–1 thanks to a late winner from Adam Marušić.

Then on Tuesday evening came another development. The Ultras from the Curva Nord and Distinti Nord announced that fans were being invited to fill the Olimpico for the upcoming game against Milan, after which the boycott of home games will continue until the end of the season.

So I’m delighted to say that I’ll be back in Rome next weekend.

Weekend Away

Over the weekend I found myself back in Rome — although sadly not for Lazio this time.

Instead, it was a trip with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew to watch Italy vs England in the Six Nations.

Daz, my brother-in-law, booked MI Hotel, which turned out to be a great choice. The price was right and while you could say it wasn’t particularly close to anything, it somehow felt close to everything at the same time.

We drove down on Friday and relaxed at the hotel for a while — allowing my sister time to get ready. Once she was finally prepared, we headed out for a walk into the centre.

Piazza Navona and the Ice Bar

Our first stop was Piazza Navona for a quick snack. We ate at Mami before popping by Ponte e Parione – Ristorante Piazza Navona, Matteo’s family restaurant, but sadly he wasn’t working that evening.

From there we headed to the Roma Ice Bar.

Yes, it’s a little touristy — but it’s also a lot of fun.

For €15 per person, you get entry, coat hire and a free drink. The cocktails were excellent, and after the first round we decided another was necessary before escaping back outside into a slightly warmer Rome evening.

It’s something a bit different — but honestly, it’s worth a visit.

Guinness and Rugby at The Shamrock

Next came a short walk to The Shamrock.

It’s often claimed that The Shamrock serves the best Guinness in Rome, and to be fair I was perfectly happy with it. It wasn’t quite like Guinness in Ireland, but I’ve definitely had worse pints in the UK.

So I happily stuck with the black stuff for the rest of the evening.

The main motivation for being there was to watch Ireland vs Wales, and I was surprised by just how busy the pub was.

Then came another surprise.

While ordering drinks I spotted Max — my Lazio fan friend. I grabbed him a Guinness and squeezed in next to him. We spent the evening chatting about Lazio, rugby and football in general.

Max can often be found at The Shamrock and describes it as his second home. He wasn’t entirely thrilled about the rugby crowds taking over his pub and joked:

“I just want my pub back!”

As the evening wound down we said our goodbyes and agreed to meet again the following night after the rugby.

Before heading to bed I received a message from my friend Derek, who was also in Rome with his wife Catherine. We arranged to meet near Lepanto for a drink. It was great to catch up — I hadn’t seen him since the derby defeat.

A Change of Sport

Saturday was match day.

We walked towards the stadium, stopping first for something to eat before a pre-lunch drink at Ponte Milvio. I’ll admit I was still feeling the effects of the night before, so I was trying to take things slowly.

After a gentle beer we headed to Sugo al Ponte Milvio, one of my favourite places to eat in the area.

We shared:

Bruschetta
Arrosticini (lamb skewers)
Some outstanding meatballs

before moving onto pasta.

I’d hoped to meet Craig — a Scottish guy I’d connected with on Instagram — but we were delayed when my sister struck up a conversation with the people sitting next to us. To be fair, they were lovely and full of positivity.

Eventually I did get to meet Craig and we walked to the stadium together.

A Strange Olimpico Experience

It was strange seeing the Curva Nord entrance so quiet.

When we reached the Distinti Nord, where we were sitting, it was absolutely packed — and getting into the toilets was almost impossible.

During the pre-match build-up I was told to sit down by the people behind me — something that felt a little odd at a sporting event. Fortunately, they didn’t repeat the request once the match began.

Despite that, it was fantastic to see a full Stadio Olimpico.

I just wished it had been for Lazio.

The atmosphere was excellent and hearing the Italian national anthem echo around the stadium was a special moment.

History for Italy

Italy fought incredibly hard and managed to beat England 23–18.

Incredibly, it was the first time Italy had ever beaten England in the Six Nations — a historic result and one that sparked wild celebrations around the stadium.

A Long Journey Back

After the match we endured a very slow bus journey back to Trastevere.

Finding somewhere to eat proved surprisingly difficult and eventually we settled on a small restaurant that was comfortable and tasty — exactly what we needed.

We ate largely in silence, all completely shattered after the long day.

I had hoped to meet Max, Derek, Catherine, Simone and Eva for a drink after dinner — but we were absolutely destroyed.

So instead we jumped in an Uber and headed back to the hotel.

Sometimes, that’s exactly what a weekend away requires.

Match Day

Sunday brought a return to Lazio.

There had already been a major blow the day before kick-off as Ivan Provedel was ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an injury. Losing your first-choice goalkeeper at this stage of the campaign is never ideal, and it meant a start for the young reserve keeper Motta.

Lazio, however, started brightly.

It didn’t take long for the breakthrough to arrive as Daniel Maldini opened his Lazio scoring account with an early goal. It was great to see him get off the mark for the club and it gave the team the perfect start.

Sassuolo responded well though and found an equaliser with a well-taken finish. It was the kind of goal where there was very little Motta could have done — the young keeper was largely blameless.

For long spells it looked like the game was drifting towards a 1–1 draw, something Lazio supporters have become all too familiar with in recent weeks.

But late on came the moment that mattered.

A cross into the box found Adam Marušić, who rose to power home a header and send the Olimpico into celebration.

It was a huge moment.

The goal secured a 2–1 victory and finally brought Lazio a league win again — the first since the home victory against Genoa.

Watching the celebrations on the touchline told its own story. Both Maurizio Sarri and Kenneth Taylor celebrated with real emotion, and you could see just how much the three points meant after such a difficult run.

Sometimes football victories feel routine.

This one absolutely didn’t.

Conclusion

This was a massively important win for Lazio.

After weeks of frustration, dropped points and the tension surrounding the fan boycott, the team desperately needed a result — and Marušić’s late header delivered exactly that.

Now attention turns to Sunday’s match against Milan at the Olimpico, which promises to be another fascinating occasion.

The Curva Nord have already called for fans to fill the stadium and there’s an expectation that the ultras will produce some fantastic choreography.

Personally, I’m really looking forward to being back.

It will be great to see Silvia again, although it’s a shame that Stefano won’t be there this time. Hopefully I’ll also get the chance to catch up with a few other Lazio friends around Ponte Milvio before the match.

After everything that’s happened in recent weeks, it feels like a big night at the Olimpico could be exactly what everyone needs.