- A large altercation broke out between both teams during the pre-season friendly
- Southampton forward Carlos Alcaraz received a red card for his role in the confrontation
- Lazio also ended up with 10 players as the friendly spiraled into disorder
Tensions flared dramatically during Southampton’s pre-season matchup with Lazio, leading to aggressive clashes between players in the second half.
What was meant to be a friendly match quickly turned chaotic when Saint striker Carlos Alcaraz intervened to support a teammate, charging into a group of Lazio players and igniting further confrontations.
The score was tied at 1-1 in the 62nd minute, following Alcaraz’s assist to new signing Ben Brereton Diaz and a spectacular equalizer from Taty Castellanos.
This match was Southampton’s second-to-last pre-season friendly before the Premier League season kicks off, with Russell Martin’s squad preparing for their upcoming game against Newcastle.
However, the camaraderie between the two sides vanished just past the hour mark when a series of scuffles led to both teams, including their coaching staff, becoming embroiled in a brawl.
Southampton striker Carlos Alcaraz (middle) appeared to punch an opposition player in the face
Alcaraz was also grabbed around the throat by Lazio’s Alessio Romagnoli during the pre-season friendly
A huge brawl between both sets of players then erupted as coaching staff tried to break up the altercation
Spectators in attendance were astounded as Lazio midfielder Danilo Cataldi reacted adversely to a challenge, confronting a Southampton player, which prompted Alcaraz to aggressively push Cataldi away.
In retaliation, Lazio’s Alessio Romagnoli lunged at Alcaraz, attempting to seize him by the neck, escalating the situation further.
As the conflict grew, several Lazio players joined in against Alcaraz, overwhelming the Southampton player who is gearing up for another season in the Premier League.
Support from Southampton members quickly followed as video evidence showed players throwing punches amidst a chaotic scene while match officials moved in to contain the situation.
Alcaraz was unyielding, striving to confront Lazio players even as teammates intervened to hold him back, while coaching staff rushed onto the pitch.
The crowd’s uproar intensified as the players continued to jostle, ultimately leading to Alcaraz’s red card, forcing him off the field.
Southampton’s manager Martin attempted to de-escalate the situation but could not prevent the referee from dismissing Alcaraz alongside Romagnoli.
Saints manager Russell Martin (middle black top) tried to pull Alcaraz away from the chaos
Both Alcaraz and Romagnoli were sent off for their involvement in the violent scenes
Following the match, Martin addressed the media, describing the events that unfolded during the scuffle. While he appreciated his players defending one another, he disapproved of how it was executed.
‘The match obviously turned into a bit of chaos, which is not what we want, but I did like the aggression in our team’s play today – aside from that incident,’ Martin commented after the 1-1 draw.
‘It started when one of their players and our player, Charly [Alcaraz], clashed, and then their teammates jumped in to defend their player while our players did the same.’
‘I appreciate their willingness to look out for each other, but it certainly wasn’t good for the game,’ he added.
