What: Italian Serie A
Who: Lazio (1st; 22 Points) vs Roma (9th; 12 Points)
When: Sunday, 7th November, 2010, 14:00 UK Time
Where: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Scudetto Material?
Lazio prepare to host Roma in what promises to be a pulsating Derby della Capitale this weekend at the Stadio Olimpico. Edy Reja’s side enter the match in the unfamiliar position of being top of the table, four points clear of Inter Milan, yet before last weekend’s 1-0 win at Palermo, the coach insisted that his side were not “scudetto material”, however another three points this weekend over Roma could make a mockery of the Biancocelesti boss’s protestations.
Lazio have not finished above their bitter city rivals in Serie A since the 2002/03 season, and a victory here would give them a 13-point edge over Roma. The club’s title challenge may seem to take precedence over local dominance, but Argentine striker Mauro Zarate explained how important the derby was by saying, “Inter are the strongest, but we are thinking about the derby. Everyone asks about it and we must play for the fans. It’s like winning the league.” In truth, Lazio supporters are feeling good about their team, who last season finished 12th and hovered dangerously around the relegation zone toward the end of the campaign. In another sign of the wave of euphoria sweeping the sky blue side of Rome, 4,000 Lazio fans showed up to the team’s training session earlier this week.
Roma Aiming for Renaissance
For Roma, currently in 9th place in Serie A, besides the usual emotion that this derby provokes, a win would help the club pick up the pieces of a poor start to the season. Having struggled in both Italy and Europe, Roma’s 3-2 over Basel on Wednesday in Champions League action may have been the perfect tonic to turn their season around and is a result that puts the Giallorossi into the right mindset ahead of the crucial clash with their Eternal City rivals. Claudio Ranieri has dodged a few bullets already this season; however a derby defeat would instantly heap pressure on him again.
The big news out of the Roma camp concerns Francesco Totti’s suspension for the derby. The veteran playmaker and Roma captain received a red card in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Lecce and will miss the match he admits he “waits all season for.” Though the loss of their influential talisman may seem like a cause for concern, Roma fans will be happy to know that since Totti made his professional debut with the team in 1992, the club have never lost a derby when he’s been unavailable (three wins, four draws).
Recent form
Lazio:
Lazio 2-1 Cagliari (24/10; Serie A)
Lazio 3-0 Portoguraro (27/10; Coppa Italia)
Palermo 0-1 Lazio (31/10; Serie A)
Roma:
Parma 0-0 Roma (24/10; Serie A)
Roma 2-0 Lecce (30/10; Serie A)
Basel 2-3 Roma (03/11; Champions League)
Key absences
Lazio: Giuseppe Biava; Mourad Meghni
Roma: Francesco Totti (suspension); Nicolas Burdisso; Rodrigo Taddei; David Pizarro; Matteo Brighi; Stefano Okaka (doubt); Juan (doubt)
Players to watch
Lazio – Stefano Mauri: The 30-year-old midfielder has been one of Serie A’s top performers this season and the Lazio man is a key main reason for the team’s superb form. With three goals and six assists already, Mauri has been a true leader on the pitch and has earned a recall to the national team after a three-year hiatus. If the left-footed maestro can carry this form into the Rome derby then Lazio will like their chances of coming away with the three points.
Roma – Mirko Vucinic: In the absence of Francesco Totti, Roma will look to Mirko Vucinic to supply the goals against Lazio. Having struggled through some niggling injuries this season, Vucinic has only featured in six matches thus far scoring twice. Though he has yet to find form and fitness in the current campaign, Vucinic’s ability can’t be questioned and Lazio fans will remember his derby brace last season which gave Roma a 2-1 win.
Match prediction
Roma have had the upper hand over Lazio in recent years with regards to domestic success. This derby however, more than others, seems to evoke so much passion and intensity that rarely has form or league placing mattered when these two teams meet. Though Lazio are on top now, recently Roma have shown signs of a revival and the truth is that this match is a crucial one to both sides this time, not only with regard to city pride, but also in terms of Serie A. Expect a tense duel as always and after 90 minutes not much will separate these two sides. Lazio 1-1 Roma
