Lazio Boss Marco Baroni Offers His Assessment of Heartbreaking Atalanta Draw

Marco Baroni is adamant Lazio players should be proud of themselves following a heart-wrenching 1-1 draw against Atalanta. It wasn’t the ideal way to close things in 2024, yet the Biancocelesti will finish the calendar year in the Serie A top four.

Lazio grabbed a halftime lead through Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, only to be pegged back by Marco Brescianini’s 84th-minute equalizer. Atalanta’s late comeback condemned them to a second winless league outing from their last three.

Despite this rough patch, a four-point lead on fifth-placed Fiorentina means Lazio will commence the new calendar year in fourth place. However, that doesn’t change the fact Atalanta’s last-gasp leveler left them with a bitter taste.

“I told the lads in the locker room that I am proud of their performance against a great opponent that has everything to challenge for the title. I think the quality of the performance was all the more notable because it was against such a strong team,” Baroni told Sky Sport via TWM.

“There are no regrets, we need to hang in there because this side has to keep growing in terms of character and the ability to handle this type of game. The players give their all during the most difficult moments and show character, that is what interests me.“

Lazio can ill afford to dwell on Saturday’s result. Baroni will have a week to rally his troops before the first edition of the famous Derby della Capitale this season. Indeed, they’ll trade tackles with arch-rivals Roma at the start of 2025.