Claudio Lotito: Roma Are Not Stronger Than Lazio

The chief is not letting Lazio's poor season affect his judgement of the team's potential as he eyes a top-four place...

Lazio president Claudio Lotito insists his side are not inferior to bitter city rivals Roma and he is confident of beating the Giallorossi to the all important fourth place finish this season.

The Bianconelesti have been struggling this season, despite a decent start to the campaign. Delio Rossi's men sit in eleventh place in Serie A and they are way off the Champions League places.

Nevertheless, Lotito still harbours hopes his players can show their mettle from now until the end of the season and climb up the table.

"I am not disappointed, the Championship is not over yet," Lotito told Il Corriere Dello Sport.

"I will not say that Lazio are forced to go into the Champions League, but in terms of quality we can aim for a top-four finish.

"I think that if my players gave 100 per cent of their potential then we would be amongst the first placed teams.

"I don't think Roma are stronger than us either, they didn't seem so in the derby. We lost, but that was it, we expressed great football in that match."

The Aquilotti clash with relegation strugglers Torino this weekend hoping to improve upon last week's loss against Fiorentina.