Lazio Midfielder Matias Vecino: “Fans Always Remind Me Of Goal I Scored For Inter Milan To Deny Aquile Champions League Place” | OneFootball

Matias Vecino has admitted that he is regularly reminded of the goal he scored for Inter Milan in 2018 that denied current club Lazio a place in the Champions League.

The Uruguay international struck late on in the final game of the 2017/18 season to snatch a 3-2 win for Inter at the Stadio Olimpico and move the Nerazzurri above Lazio thanks to a better head-to-head record, knocking the hosts out of the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Vecino, who joined Lazio in 2022, revealed in an interview with lalaziosiamonoi.it that he is constantly reminded of his impact by Biancoceleste fans but hopes he has made up for it by helping the capital club qualify since.

“Did they remind me of it? Yes absolutely, especially in my first days here. They were right to!” Vecino joked.

“I hope little by little to make it up to everyone, in the first year we qualified for the Champions League and hopefully we can do the same again.”

Vecino featured under current Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti whilst at Inter, and was full of praise for the ex-Roma tactician.

Teammate Nicolo Rovella has made an impact in the national team under Spalletti, and Vecino felt that what he had seen at Inter meant the midfielder was in good hands.

“I told Rovella a couple of things because I know how coach Spalletti thinks about midfielders.

“He always asks them to turn their heads a lot, to look several times before playing the ball. He is very attentive to these things.”

Vecino also revealed what Lazio were aiming for this season.

“The way things are going now, the team has shown that it can play both in the league and in European competitions.

“The coach has done well to rotate several players, also because it’s not easy to play every three days. There is no one who can play every game, it’s impossible.

“We have to think about short-term objectives, about the string of six or seven games we will have with important matches. Then at the end of the year we will see where we are.”

Vecino joined Inter from Fiorentina in 2017 and made 127 appearances for the Nerazzurri before completing his move to Lazio.