Lazio and Roma fans were feeling the heat long before kick-off.

Pride was at stake in Italy’s most ferocious derby, with both sides coming off morale-crushing losses and considering when their new coaching eras would take off.

Oh, and there was the literal heat. Lots of it.

With the match being selected for a 12:30pm kick-off for security reasons, Laziali and Romanisti made their way to the ground in temperatures well over 30 degrees. Down at pitch level, with no escape from the blistering sun, it was hovering around 35.

The atmosphere was as fiery as the weather. Heading to the ground, flashbangs boomed every few seconds from all directions, smoke from flares rose in puffy clouds into the sky, and chants were bellowed by beer-swigging fans who refused to let the early hour derail long-standing derby-day traditions.

This was only the second time that a Derby della Capitale has been a ‘lunch match,’ as the Italians would call it. But a soaring September heatwave would not stop the contest that followed from producing classic derby fare: incredible choreographies, back-and-forth insults, goals, and red cards.

The Laziali

For the ‘home’ supporters of Lazio, there was a lot riding on this. The 2025-26 season so far has been eventful, to say the least, between a transfer ban, massive protests against owner Claudio Lotito, and two defeats in their opening three games, against Como and Sassuolo.

A derby win would finally give these suffering supporters something to cheer – and Maurizio Sarri knew it.

The returning Biancocelesti coach enjoyed an impressive record in the fixture first time around, winning four of his six derbies and losing just once.

Being a man familiar with the intense emotional experience awaiting his players, he urged them to “fight for their people” in his pre-match press conference.

Those people in question stepped up to the occasion once again with a sweeping Curva-wide choreography.

It bore the message ‘Support Tradition’ – a nod to Lazio being the first club founded in Rome – with two eagles flanking a young footballer with a ball tucked under his arm.

With the weight of a packed house roaring them on, a stirring choreography at their backs, and Sarri’s battle cry ringing in their ears, the Lazio players had little reason not to be fired up for the 90 minutes ahead.

However, what followed was a frustrating performance that unravelled step by step. Fans roared in exasperation when a complacent Nuno Tavares was caught in possession by Devyne Rensch, an error that ultimately lost his side the game as Lorenzo Pellegrini swept home the winner from the move.

The Aquile produced a far better attacking performance than they had a week earlier against Sassuolo but faced familiar problems in failing to capitalise on their chances.

Boulaye Dia was sent clean through on goal in the second half and had time to set himself when one-on-one with Mile Svilar, but shanked his finish well off target in front of the Curva Nord to cries of frustration.

By the time Taty Castellanos’ curler grazed the post on its way wide and Danilo Cataldi fired one off the frame of the goal from the edge of the box, the home fans were tearing their hair out.

Lazio’s players failed to keep their cool, too. Reda Belahyane’s erratic tackling had led to fouls all day, but his ugly stamp on the back of Manu Kone’s leg earned him a straight red card late on.

Matteo Guendouzi, who has something of a derby hot-head reputation, was then sent off after the whistle for dissent. His petulance will be costly, as it leaves Sarri with Cataldi as his only fit midfielder for next Monday’s trip to Genoa after Nicolo Rovella and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru limped off by half-time.

It was not a huge surprise to hear boos ring down from the Lazio curva when the players approached after the game to thank them for their support. They expected better.

The Romanisti

The Roma fans in the Curva Sud may have felt like they were 1-0 up before the game had even kicked off, given they were basking in shade and avoided the glaring heat beating directly down on their rivals on the northern side.

They were determined to be noisy guests in their ‘away’ game, making a bold effort to challenge Lazio cheers with their own boos when former Giallorossi man Pedro’s name was read out.

They also continued one of their traditions by singing their anthem ‘Roma Roma Roma’ as the game kicked off, after producing an eye-catching choreography of their own.

An enormous depiction of a wolf was flanked by the Latin message ‘Lupus Dentibus Petit’ or ‘the wolf attacks with its teeth,’ a derby battle cry if there ever was one.

However, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side lacked bite early on, soaking up Lazio attacks in the first half before starting to apply pressure of their own.

It was a high press that won them the game, Rensch pinching the ball off a dozy Tavares, but goalscorer Pellegrini hogs the front pages after scoring a winner that was almost too romantic a story to be true.

A dyed-in-the-wool Romanista, Pellegrini thought he was on the way out this summer – as did Gasperini, the club, and the supporters.

Once a Conference League-winning club captain and fan favorite, the midfielder fell out of favor under Claudio Ranieri last season after a section of supporters had turned against him following the sacking of Daniele De Rossi.

Gasperini admitted himself ahead of the game that working out how to handle the reintegration of the Italy international could be tricky.

“Am I to bring him back in by myself? Is the club okay with that? Are the fans okay with that? Because he’s potentially a top-level player but I can’t do it if he’s not in the club’s or the fans’ good books. I need the best version of Pellegrini,” Gasperini said.

But 38 minutes in, there he was, celebrating his fourth Derby della Capitale goal as the fans in the Curva Sud went wild, some rushing over towards the plastic partitions to give the Lazio supporters in the Tribuna Tevere a ‘friendly’ wave.

Even before then, a ‘Bentornato capitano’ or ‘Welcome back captain’ banner was held up in the Curva Sud for Pellegrini, one of dozens upon dozens of messages that appeared over the course of the 90 minutes – most taking digs at Lazio.

When the full-time whistle blew, the players ran under a sea of banners in the Curva Sud – including one of Mr. Bean as a Lazio fan – to celebrate a third victory in four games with the fans, and the most precious yet.