Lazio secured their place in the Coppa Italia final in the most dramatic fashion possible on Tuesday evening, as goalkeeper Edoardo Motta produced a goalkeeping masterclass to deny Atalanta in Bergamo. In a match defined by late drama, disallowed goals, and nerves of steel, the Biancocelesti triumphed 2-1 on penalties after the tie ended 3-3 […]
Lazio secured their place in the Coppa Italia final in the most dramatic fashion possible on Tuesday evening, as goalkeeper Edoardo Motta produced a goalkeeping masterclass to deny Atalanta in Bergamo.
In a match defined by late drama, disallowed goals, and nerves of steel, the Biancocelesti triumphed 2-1 on penalties after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.
A Night of High Drama and VAR Controversy
The second leg of this semi-final clash lived up to the billing, providing a rollercoaster of emotions.
For long periods, it looked as though Atalanta would be the side heading to Rome.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men were arguably the better side throughout the 120 minutes, yet they found themselves thwarted by the inspired form of Motta and several VAR interventions.
Atalanta’s frustrations began in the 61st minute when Ederson’s opener was ruled out for a foul on Motta.
Later, in the 86th minute, Alessio Romagnoli appeared to have won it for Lazio with a clinical volley, only for Mario Pasalic to equalise seconds later via a deflection.
Speaking to Sport Mediaset after the game, Maurizio Sarri acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter:
“Tonight’s game was extremely complicated, a knockout tie against a strong side in a stadium that is tough to play in for most European teams. This has been a great journey for us… we achieved this satisfaction of reaching the Final.”
Maurizio Sarri Praises ‘Amazing’ Edoardo Motta
While the outfield players battled to a stalemate, the post-match headlines belonged to Edoardo Motta.
The 21-year-old, who stepped in following Ivan Provedel’s injury, saved four consecutive penalties in the shootout.
Sarri was full of praise for his young shot-stopper, highlighting his incredible record since joining the club:
“He is amazing on penalties, he saved four out of five in the shoot-out, plus one in Serie A against Bologna, so that’s five out of six in the Lazio shirt. Motta has margin for improvement, especially playing the ball with his feet, but he has important prospects.”
Motta’s heroics weren’t limited to the shootout; a vital fingertip save onto the post from a Gianluca Scamacca header in regulation time was ultimately what allowed Lazio to reach penalties in the first place.
🇮🇹⚪️🔵 EL SHOW DE EDOARDO MOTTA ANTE ATALANTA
LOS 4 PENALTIS ATAJADOS EN LA MISMA TANDA PARA METER A LA LAZIO EN LA FINAL DE LA COPPA ITALIA 🔥pic.twitter.com/71siE9Zhmo
— Ligas Top del Fútbol (@LigasTopFutbol) April 22, 2026
Addressing the Lazio Fan Boycott
The victory guarantees Lazio a spot in the final against Inter Milan on May 13th, remarkably held at their own Stadio Olimpico.
However, the club has been dealing with a fan boycott due to protests against President Claudio Lotito.
Sarri expressed his hope that the fans would return for the showpiece event:
“I always said that I respect people’s decisions… having said that, if they were to attend, I and the team would be overjoyed. Yesterday, they came to the airport to encourage us, so if they came, I’d be the happiest coach in the world.”
Tactical Challenges and the Road to Rome
Despite the joy of reaching the final, Sarri remained honest about Lazio’s ongoing tactical struggles, particularly in the final third.
“We’ve had a problem all season, which is that we struggle to score goals,” he admitted.
“The team has become solid and tough to play against, but we don’t find it easy to get the ball in the back of the net.”
Lazio now shifts their focus to the final against Inter, where the stakes are high.
Not only is a trophy on the line, but a win would guarantee direct access to next season’s Europa League and a spot in the Supercoppa Italiana Final Four.
With Motta in world-class form, the Biancocelesti will head into the final believing anything is possible.
