Mattia Zaccagni and Boulaye Dia expressed their respect for the Lazio ultras’ decision to boycott matches, following a surreal Coppa Italia semi-final against Atalanta. They noted, “They made us feel their presence.”
Despite the unusual setting of a stadium filled with just 5,000 fans, as a larger crowd gathered outside the Stadio Olimpico in protest against Lazio President Claudio Lotito, the match turned out to be quite thrilling.
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Supporters marched from Ponte Milvio to the stadium before kick-off, making their voices heard as they sang, cheered, and set off fireworks while staying connected to the game via radio and their phones.
Lazio initially took the lead twice—once with a lob from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and again when Dia capitalized on a Mario Pasalic mistake. However, Atalanta quickly retaliated both times, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Lazio players felt the support of the fans, nonetheless
“It was a solid performance and the right mentality, but we need to work on our concentration since we conceded immediately after scoring twice. That’s something we need to address,” Zaccagni told Sport Mediaset.
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“The fans found a way to support us. We respect their choice; it’s difficult to play without them, but we understand their position.”
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 04: A close-up of the empty seats as SS Lazio fans boycott matches prior to the Coppa Italia fixture between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at the Olimpico Stadium on March 04, 2026, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Outside the stadium, Lazio supporters displayed a banner expressing that this was their ‘sacrifice’ for the benefit of the club, emphasizing that many are season ticket holders with access to the match.
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The Coppa Italia semi-final will now be resolved in Bergamo on April 21 or 22, with the winner set to compete against either Inter or Como in the Final.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 04: Boulaye Dia of Lazio scores his team’s second goal against Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at the Olimpico Stadium on March 04, 2026, in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
“Scoring that goal was very significant for me since I hadn’t found the net in a long time, yet the disappointment remains that we didn’t secure the win. That really stings,” Dia shared with Sport Mediaset.
“When we work together as a team, we perform really well; we scored twice and had a good match.”