Lazio and Roma Fly in Serie A Opener as Bologna and Fiorentina Suffer
· 2 min read
Serie A's opening Monday handed out a stark lesson in ruthlessness, with Lazio and Roma both collecting maximum points to set the early pace in Italy's top flight.
At the Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna, Lazio ground out a hard-earned one-nil victory. It was the kind of disciplined, grinding away performance that title-challengers need in their locker, and Lazio will travel back to Rome knowing they have already banked three precious points on unfriendly turf.
The evening's more emphatic statement came from the capital, where Roma put on a commanding display at the Olimpico, sweeping Fiorentina aside four-nil. It was a result that will reverberate across Serie A and announce Roma's ambitions loudly and clearly from the very first matchday.
Fiorentina, meanwhile, find themselves with serious questions to answer after a humbling opening defeat. Four goals conceded without reply is a damaging way to start a campaign, and their manager will need a sharp response from the squad heading into next week.
With Roma and Lazio both winning, the derby rivalry between the two clubs has an extra edge from the outset. If this opening weekend is any guide, the Eternal City may well be the centre of Serie A's universe once again this season.