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As I sit here in the minutes following Juventus\u2019 1-1 draw with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, I really don\u2019t know where to begin. I don\u2019t tend to make these post-game threads all about me and use the first person all that often, but I feel like the general feeling of both frustration and general confusion is one shared by plenty of folks.<\/p>\n
Why?<\/p>\n
Because, like me, many are wondering what exactly Pierre Kalulu did to get sent off less than 10 minutes after Randal Kolo Muani scored to put Juventus in front Saturday night. Like, has anybody seen a decent replay of it? Because I haven\u2019t. Show me a decent replay! I beg you \u2014 show me one and then I\u2019ll be able to actually have a genuine opinion rather than relying on extremely blurry photos and thinking that Kalulu was just as naive as Kenan Yildiz was a couple of weeks ago when he was shown a red for violent conduct. (And maybe Kalulu was just that no matter what, but because we haven\u2019t seen a quality replay, I don\u2019t know what to think!)<\/p>\n
But playing the final half-hour and the seven minutes of stoppage time down a man and clearly trying to hold on for dear life against a Lazio side that had their fair share of late-game antics the last time they played on their home field, it was always going to be a risk. And they were up to their late tricks again, with Matias Vecino putting away the rebound off a great initial save from Michele Di Gregorio to level the score at 1-all with one minute of stoppage time remaining and send Juve to yet another draw and one that is a serious hinderance to their Champions League qualification hopes.<\/p>\n
Depending on what happens Monday night, Juve could either somehow end Matchday 36 still in fourth place or see Roma jump into the final Champions League spot if they claim a win over Atalanta in Bergamo. (Which, considering how Claudio Ranieri keeps grinding out wins no matter who Roma play, who is to say he can\u2019t at this point?)<\/p>\n
So this is the situation that we were hoping Juventus could avoid. The one where they need help from others to ensure that they\u2019re in fourth place. Instead of controlling their own destiny, they are now needing Atalanta to get some sort of result against Roma so that they can go into the final two weeks of the 2024-25 season still in fourth place.<\/p>\n
Fun, ain\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s pretty on brand for this season that Juventus only get two points from a possible six in their two biggest games remaining on the schedule. There were obviously a whole lot of things that went into it \u2014 and, honestly, I feel like I\u2019ll miss plenty of them because of all the frustration coursing through my veins as I write this \u2014 but this was a Lazio side that had just one win in their last 10 home games in Serie A. Lazio had drawn five straight home games. That\u2019s a lot of draws in a row and a lot of games to go without a win on your home field.<\/p>\n
Yet after the opening 60 minutes in which Di Gregorio really had virtually nothing to do, it all turned on a red card most of us are still questioning and meant Igor Tudor suddenly had to set up shop and hope Juve could hold on.<\/p>\n
For much of the time before Vecino\u2019s equalizer, it was looking like they could actually do it. Of course, that involved a decent amount of luck, with a VAR call actually going Juve\u2019s way rather than a penalty call against Di Gregorio being upheld because of an offside call just a split second before. But Juve were, for the most part, holding their own as Lazio sent in cross after cross after cross.<\/p>\n
But then the dam broke, and with it a serious hit to Juve\u2019s Champions League chances.<\/p>\n
This was always going to be a cagey and tight matchup because both teams are fighting for the same thing. That\u2019s why the first 45 minutes were what they were \u2014 not a whole hell of a lot of action with Juve holding Lazio to just two shots. The craziness \u2014 and not in a good way \u2014 of the second half changed all that, eventually sending Juventus to their 16th draw in 36 league games.<\/p>\n
Maybe it\u2019s just a microcosm of Juventus\u2019 season as a whole. Considering they are back to having as many draws (16) as wins, it feels somewhat appropriate. This level of frustration has certainly been present plenty of times before this day, too. Same goes for the level of poor officiating from a country previously known for having some of the best in the business.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all just tiresome, man. It\u2019s why Juve will be rooting for Atalanta 24 hours from now. It\u2019s just been that kind of season \u2014 and one that still has 180 minutes to go even though plenty of us want it to just come to an end already.<\/p>\n