Bayern Munich is continuing to struggle in big games. The Bundesliga giants suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Lazio at the start of their UEFA Champions League knockout stage campaign.

Bayern entered the match as an overwhelming favorite and with a lot to prove. They received a 3-0 beating by Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on the weekend and needed a good performance to bounce back.

However, Lazio proved to be a much tougher opponent than expected. The Seria A side delivered an inspired defensive performance that left Bayern unsuccessfully looking for solutions at the front. The German club failed to register a single shot at the goal, something that didn’t happen since 2019.

Bayern’s frustration became obvious in the 67th minute when defender Dayot Upamecano made a reckless challenge on Gustav Isaksen in the penalty box. Upamecano received a straight red card, while Lazio was awarded a penalty kick. Striker Ciro Immobile remained calm under pressure, converting the penalty to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Relegated to 10 men, Bayern had even less chance to penetrate Lazio’s stout defense. Italians, on the other hand, made sure to suffocate the game while remaining disciplined and ended up celebrating a huge win.

“We worked and prepared for this match to have a say in it,” said Immobile after the match. “I was convinced that the team would put everything out there.”

The post Bayern Munich Suffers Surprising 1-0 Loss to Lazio at the Start of UCL Knockout Stage appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Chelsea is finally finding some success in their attempts to offload Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. According to Italian media outlet Corriere Dello Sport, Seria A side Lazio is keen on Kepa and are considering making a move for the player in the near future.

Lazio is on the market for a goalkeeper because their current main option, Thomas Strakosha, will be out of contract in the summer of 2022. They view Kepa as an ideal replacement, especially since their manager Maurizio Sarri already worked with the player while coaching Chelsea in 2018-2019.

The Italian club is facing some obstacles in working out a transfer for Kepa. They would want to initially bring the 27-year-old on a loan while Chelsea is believed to be interested only in a permanent transfer. Also, the player’s current salary is north of $200,000 weekly, and it is hard to believe he would consider a huge discount from this number.

Chelsea paid $92 million to acquire Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018 from Athletic Bilbao, making him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. The club was convinced that Kepa would keep them from having problems at the position for years to come, but it’s safe to say things didn’t work out as planned. The Spaniard struggled in Premier League from the very beginning and kept his starting job for just two seasons before being replaced by Edouard Mendy.

Kepa is now mostly used as a cup goalkeeper, having made just eight Premier League appearances in the last 12 months.

The post Lazio Keen on Chelsea Goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Bayern Munich is continuing to struggle in big games. The Bundesliga giants suffered a surprising 1-0 loss to Lazio at the start of their UEFA Champions League knockout stage campaign.

Bayern entered the match as an overwhelming favorite and with a lot to prove. They received a 3-0 beating by Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on the weekend and needed a good performance to bounce back.

However, Lazio proved to be a much tougher opponent than expected. The Seria A side delivered an inspired defensive performance that left Bayern unsuccessfully looking for solutions at the front. The German club failed to register a single shot at the goal, something that didn’t happen since 2019.

Bayern’s frustration became obvious in the 67th minute when defender Dayot Upamecano made a reckless challenge on Gustav Isaksen in the penalty box. Upamecano received a straight red card, while Lazio was awarded a penalty kick. Striker Ciro Immobile remained calm under pressure, converting the penalty to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Relegated to 10 men, Bayern had even less chance to penetrate Lazio’s stout defense. Italians, on the other hand, made sure to suffocate the game while remaining disciplined and ended up celebrating a huge win.

“We worked and prepared for this match to have a say in it,” said Immobile after the match. “I was convinced that the team would put everything out there.”

The post Bayern Munich Suffers Surprising 1-0 Loss to Lazio at the Start of UCL Knockout Stage appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Chelsea is finally finding some success in their attempts to offload Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. According to Italian media outlet Corriere Dello Sport, Seria A side Lazio is keen on Kepa and are considering making a move for the player in the near future.

Lazio is on the market for a goalkeeper because their current main option, Thomas Strakosha, will be out of contract in the summer of 2022. They view Kepa as an ideal replacement, especially since their manager Maurizio Sarri already worked with the player while coaching Chelsea in 2018-2019.

The Italian club is facing some obstacles in working out a transfer for Kepa. They would want to initially bring the 27-year-old on a loan while Chelsea is believed to be interested only in a permanent transfer. Also, the player’s current salary is north of $200,000 weekly, and it is hard to believe he would consider a huge discount from this number.

Chelsea paid $92 million to acquire Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018 from Athletic Bilbao, making him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. The club was convinced that Kepa would keep them from having problems at the position for years to come, but it’s safe to say things didn’t work out as planned. The Spaniard struggled in Premier League from the very beginning and kept his starting job for just two seasons before being replaced by Edouard Mendy.

Kepa is now mostly used as a cup goalkeeper, having made just eight Premier League appearances in the last 12 months.

The post Lazio Keen on Chelsea Goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga appeared first on SportzBonanza.