Lazio captain Stefano Mauri was bitter despite scoring a late equalizer in his side’s match against Hellas Verona which saw the Aquile miss on a chance to draw level with sixth place Torino for the last Europa League spot.
Mauri stepped up and took a penalty in stoppage time as the Biancocelesti were controversially awarded a spot kick which the captain missed but the rebound fell kindly in his path and the former Italian international scored to end a thrilling 3-3 affair at the Stadio Olimpico.
“Today we lost two important points and made things more difficult,” the 34-year old Mauri told Sky Sport Italia after the match.
“This side never quits and you saw that today but unfortunately our fate [for a Europa League spot] is no longer in our hands.”
The match was a torrid back-and-forth affair which saw each side finish with 10 men, and the visitors fight back twice and seemingly take the lead for good when Romulo scored with seven minutes left.
However, Michelangelo Albertazzi was given controversially given a red card in stoppage time for an apparent foul on Miroslav Klose which handed the Biancocelesti a lifeline the captain secured by netting his fourth goal of the campaign.
