Tavares faces potential fine after walking out of Lazio bench at Rome derby

Nuno Tavares walked out of the Stadio Olimpico at half-time after being substituted during Lazio's Rome derby on 22 September 2025, a gesture that could trigger a disciplinary action from the club. The 25-year-old started the fiery match for Lazio, his second season with the Serie A side after moving from Arsenal on a permanent deal in the summer following a year on loan.

Seven minutes before the break, Tavares was at fault for what proved to be the winning goal for Roma, as Lorenzo Pellegrini seized on a miscue at the edge of Lazio's box and slotted home. Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri withdrew the Portuguese defender at halftime and brought on Luca Pellegrini, who is not related to the goalscorer. Tavares reportedly did not remain to see how the rest of his teammates fared in the second half and left the ground after a post-match shower.

According to La Repubblica, Tavares did not return to the bench and departed the stadium following the halftime interval. Lazio's senior officials are said to be weighing whether to fine him for leaving instead of supporting the squad from the dugout.

This is Tavares' second season with Lazio after the summer move that followed a year on loan with the club. He joined Lazio permanently from Arsenal for about £6 million. In his first season in Italy, under former boss Marco Baroni, he contributed nine assists. Since the arrival of Maurizio Sarri, however, the trajectory has slowed, with Lazio collecting just three points from their first four Serie A games and sitting 13th in the table. Tavares has yet to register a goal or an assist this campaign.

The defender spent four years at Arsenal after joining in 2021, with three of those seasons spent on loan at Marseille, Nottingham Forest, and Lazio before the permanent switch. The incident at the Rome derby adds to Lazio's early-season turbulence as the club continues to adapt under Sarri.