Post by Taxigirl on Dec 22, 2003 10:16:22 GMT
Inter boss Alberto Zaccheroni has pointed the finger at Matias Almeyda following his violent exit from the field.
“Inter can lose a game occasionally,” he noted, “but I will not stand for this team finishing a match with ten men."
"I told them this in the dressing room just now and it is very important. It is not behaviour that will be tolerated.”
The game was level at 1-1 when Almeyda, a former Lazio midfielder, saw red for attempting to strike Bernardo Corradi.
A hefty ban is in the offing, as he then refused to leave the field and even took the cards off referee Trefoloni.
Luciano Zauri’s late strike enabled Lazio to run out with the 2-1 victory, Zac’s first Serie A defeat since taking charge of Inter.
“The overall performance was not up to our recent standard,” he continued, “especially the first half was quite poor, but until Almeyda was sent off we were in the game.”
“Even after the red card I thought we had to try and play attacking football. That was my intention and this is why Kily Gonzalez was introduced.”
The Nerazzurri had the opportunity to leap into second place with a win at the Olimpico, but the old issue of struggling against big clubs has reared up again.
“I don’t know what the problem was,” noted Zaccheroni. “All I can do is continue to work towards the future and the overall plan.”
“If we live one day at a time then you are going to get peaks and troughs, but we have a project for this club and that is what I am concentrating on.”
Lazio boss Roberto Mancini caused controversy this week by admitting he regretted staying with the club, but he refused to speak with the press after this win.
“Three wins in a row have allowed us to find our team spirit again and we really needed it during this difficult time,” revealed Stefano Fiore.
The Biancocelesti have been on scintillating form since a crushing 3-0 defeat at Siena.
“Perhaps this squad is so accustomed to pressure that it needs a really bad result to get it going.”
Lazio now catch Inter in fourth place and keep slender title hopes alive going into the Christmas break.
“We are here now and our aim is to hang on to the Scudetto contenders. After that we will see how it goes.”
Fiore also commented on Almeyda's rather energetic departure.
"It was a bad reaction for a professional and above all after the red card he really ran for Corradi."