Paulo Dybala produced an incredible piece of gamesmanship during a heated exchange with Matteo Guendouzi.
On Saturday, Roma beat Lazio 1-0 in the Rome derby after Gianluca Mancini nodded home Paulo Dybala’s corner.
Naturally, tempers escalated on several occasions during the encounter, with players clashing at various points in the second half.
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The most notable of those confrontations was between Roma’s Dybala and Lazio’s Guendouzi.
Notable, Dybala mocked his counterpart by presenting the Frenchman with his shin pad, which is decorated with a picture of Argentina winning the World Cup.
Dybala was part of the Argentina squad that edged past Guendouzi’s France side on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final.
Tensions continued between the pair beyond the final whistle, with pictures having since circulated of Dybala celebrating in front of Guendouzi.
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The ex-Arsenal midfielder also appeared to be urging a Roma player to meet him inside the tunnel.
Guendouzi, who has been a key player for Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio this season while on loan from Marseille, admitted he has always been a fiery personality.
“I’ve always been like this, even since I was seven or eight years old,” Guendouzi, told the Athletic in March. “When I was losing a game, I was always screaming. This is my mentality.
"When I come on the pitch, I always want to win.
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“That’s why I am lucky because I play for big clubs and you need to have this mentality if you want to play at the highest level. It’s part of my personality. When I go onto the pitch, it’s to win — it’s not to draw or lose.
“That’s why sometimes, when I’m in the game, I show some reaction because you are totally focused on the game and you are just thinking about the victory, to help the team, and I’ll always be like this. And it’s important to stay like this.
“The older you are and the more you learn, you become calmer than before, but I want to keep this mentality: to fight on the pitch and to always want to win. That’s the most important thing.”
Featured Image Credit: TNT SportsTopics: Serie A, Roma, Lazio, Paulo Dybala
