Emotional night for Zanetti

Javier Zanetti bid an emotional farewell to an adoring San Siro crowd as Inter Milan marked the Argentinian's impending retirement with a 4-1 comeback victory against Lazio.

11 May 2014, 8:48am
by Staff Reporter

1 min read

Inter captain Javier Zanetti's playing career came to a end yesterday after Inter defeated Lazio 4-1

The 40-year-old's time with the Nerazzurri is coming to an end after 19 years and the full-back watched from the bench as countrymen Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi turned the game on its head following Giuseppe Biava's early opener.

He took to the San Siro pitch for the last time before Hernanes scored Inter's fourth goal - against the club he left in January - with the final result all but securing Walter Mazzarri's men in fifth place.

A last-gasp equaliser from substitute Emmanuel Badu saw Udinese cancel out Hellas Verona's two-goal lead and force a 2-2 draw at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

Eighth-placed Hellas retained faint hopes of qualifying for the Europa League and veteran striker Luca Toni put them on the right track with his 20th goal of the season.

Emil Halfredsson struck after the break to temporarily lift Verona into sixth place, but a wonderful goal on the volley from Antonio Di Natale - his 190th in Serie A - convinced Udinese to fight back.

As Hellas retreated to survive four minutes of stoppage time, midfielder Badu emerged from the dugout to rattle home a late leveller that called time on Verona's European challenge.