Lazio Vs AC Milan [1–0] – Coppa Italia 2025/2026: How Maurizio Sarri Tactics Neutralised Max Allegri Attack – Tactical Analysis

Lazio beat AC Milan in their Coppa Italia Round of 16 encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, following Milans win at San Siro in their league fixture.

Lazio made a very important step forward in the Coppa Italia with a performance and result that could also change the course and events of their season.

With a big win over a powerful Milan side, Lazio will gain a lot psychologically, as this win will give them a boost.

Following their win, Lazio will face Bologna in the quarter-finals.

On the other hand, Milan failed to achieve one of their seasonal objectives: reaching the final of this tournament while challenging for the top four spots in the league.

The Coppa Italia was a priority for Milan mainly because they do not play in Europe this season.

With their failure to qualify for the quarter-finals, Milan will now only play Serie A games until the end of the season.

This tactical analysis article will explore the reasons for this loss while focusing mainly on what Lazio did to push Milan into committing several mistakes in this match.

Lazio Vs Milan Lineups & Formations

Maurizio Sarri started the match in his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with Christos Mandas as goalkeeper, Adam Marušić as right-back, Mario Gila and Alessio Romagnoli as centre-backs, and Luca Pellegrini as left-back.

The midfield line was made up of Matías Vecino, Mattéo Guendouzi, and Toma Bašić.

In contrast, the attacking line was composed of Gustav Isaksen and Mattia Zaccagni as wingers, with Valentín Castellanos as the team’s central striker.

On the other hand, Massimiliano Allegri made some changes compared to the latest league games while keeping the same 3-5-2 formation.

The lineup included Mike Maignan as goalkeeper, Fikayo Tomori, Koni De Winter, and Strahinja Pavlović as centre-backs, Alexis Saelemaekers and Pervis Estupiñán as wing-backs, and Adrien Rabiot and Samuele Ricci as central midfielders, with Ardon Jashari as a defensive midfielder instead of Luka Modrić.

In attack, Milan’s head coach relied on Rafael Leão and Ruben Loftus-Cheek as the attacking duo, leaving Christian Pulisic and Christopher Nkunku on the bench.

Lazio Effective High Pressing Vs Milan

Milan played a complicated game against a Lazio side seeking revenge for their most recent loss to Milan in Serie A.

Lazio started the match in a different way compared to the league game, applying high pressure on Milan’s defensive and midfield lines with more than three players each time.

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