Preview: Lazio - Torino

With both sides without a win in over a month, there will be no love lost in this delicate Valentine's Day encounter at the Olimpico.

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Kick-Off: Saturday February 14, 18:00 CET, Stadio Olimpico,Roma

Luckless Lazio Looking To Bounce Back

Following a fourth successive defeat at the hands of Fiorentina last Sunday, Claudio Lotito has called for divine intervention to get his side back to winning ways.

Despite a record-breaking first half to the season, Delio Rossi’s men are also the first Lazio side for ten years to have suffered such a long negative run of results.

There has been talk of crisis in recent weeks but this seems a little far-fetched given the recent performances of the Biancocelesti.
In the 1-0 defeat at the Franchi last weekend, Lazio demonstrated a performance that would suggest they are suffering more from poor fortune rather than poor form.

After dominating Fiorentina for long spells of the game despite being a man down, Delio Rossi’s men still suffered defeat following a late Gilardino goal. Cesare Prandelli was honest enough to describe his side’s victory as “robbery” in his post match interview.

The Biancocelesti have now lost ground on their early ambitions to make the UEFA cup places by the end of the season. With sixth place a massive nine points away, Delio Rossi’s side must now take each game as it comes and concentrate on the team in front of them. Should Lazio manage to put their ambitions aside shortly, it is certain their results will improve, given their quality of attacking play.

Lazio will be looking to make it three wins from three this season against the Granata tomorrow and finally stop the rot that has plagued them for the past month.

Time To Take Toro By The Horns

Despite a run of four consecutive stalemates, the mood in the Torino camp is very uneasy at present. With the Granata lying third from bottom, there is a feeling of missed opportunity in the air given that three of the last four results were against fellow relegation strugglers.

Walter Novellino has vast experience in leading his sides to promotion but is not so expert in the ordeals of a relegation battle. His Torino side have quality but seem to lack the conviction at times that enables them to close out important results. Last Sunday’s draw with Chievo was another example where the Granata let a precious victory slip out from underneath them just eight minutes from time.

Having already played Lazio twice this season Torino should be well prepared for Saturday’s early encounter. In both previous meetings the Granata dominated early play but ended up being well beaten Lazio in the second periods. Given Lazio have struggled of late, Novellino will urge his men to take early advantage and open the game up in their favour.

If Torino can keep their performance going for a full 90 minutes, they could well take something back from a Lazio side to which they have already gifted far too much this season.

FORM GUIDE

Lazio

8 February: Fiorentina 1-0 Lazio

1 February: Lazio 0-3 Milan

28 January: Sampdoria 3-1 Lazio

25 January: Lazio 1-4 Cagliari

22 January: Lazio 3-1 Torino (Coppa Italia)

Torino

8 February: Torino 1-1 Chievo

1 February: Inter 1-1 Torino

28 January: Torino 0-0 Reggina

25 January: Lecce 3-3 Torino

22 January: Lazio 3-1 Torino (Coppa Italia)

TEAM NEWS

Lazio

Delio Rossi has suffered numerous selection issues in recent weeks. Mauro Zarate and Lorenzo De Silvestri will miss Saturday’s encounter through suspension. Christian Ledesma joins Modibo Diakite and Simone Del Nero on the injury list, after he pulled of training with a thigh strain.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-1-2): Muslera, Lichtsteiner, Cribari, Siviglia, Radu; Brocchi, Dabo, Matuzalem; Foggia; Rocchi, Pandev

Torino

Walter Novellino has no suspensions to contend with in preparation for Saturday’s encounter. Torino will however make the trip south light of Elvis Abbruscato, Angelo Ogbonna and Rolando Bianchi who are all nursing injuries.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Sereni; Pisano, Dellafiore, Natali, Colombo; Diana, Zanetti, Dzemaili; Abate; Ventola, Rosina

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lazio captain Tommaso Rocchi returns to action this week after sitting out through injury recently. With the capital club creating numerous chances but failing to find the back of the net against Fiorentina, it will be down to ‘TommyGol’ to get his scoring again this weekend. With a mere six goals to his name, Rocchi will be desperate to improve his tally and claim his place as Lazio’s top marksman once more.

Alessandro Rosina has been on fine form for the Granata this season, so much so that numerous sides including Arsenal have been following his progress. The pint-sized playmaker is a crucial element for Torino’s attacking phase is notably missed when out through injury. In recent years, Rosina has enjoyed success at the Olimpico including a wonderful solo goal against Lazio on the opening day last season.

PREDICTION

When the sides both met in the Coppa Italia back in January, it proved to be an entertaining affair with Toro taking a surprise lead only for the home side to eventually run out 3-1 winners. Despite the Granata’s recent run of stalemates, the Lazio attack will prove to be too much of a handful given they have a point to prove. With the home fans losing patience, Lazio will be insistent on returning to winning ways and put to rest any talks of a crisis.

Lazio 3-1 Torino Read More..

Lazio Are Moving In The Right Direction - Coach Delio Rossi

Delio Rossi believes his Lazio side will soon come out of their slump, stating that all that matters is where they find themselves when the league concludes...

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Lazio have lost four Serie A matches on the trot, however, they showed significant signs of improvement during last weekend's 1-0 loss to Fiorentina. They went down to ten men in the first half of that fixture but were only denied goals by a brilliant performance from Viola goalkeeper Sebastian Frey.

"We have made mistakes, but we must be patient and focus on [our] results," claimed Lazio coach Delio Rossi, according to Datasport. "We must continue as we did in Florence."

The Biancocelesti will be confident of grabbing a victory against relegation-threatened Torino, who have just 19 points.

"Getting a result [against Torino] would be very important but I think we are on the right track,” Rossi explained to reporters. “I have always said that our [league] ranking in March doesn't matter. We'll evaluate things at the end of the season.”

Despite a positive start to the season, Lazio now linger in 11th place. Club officials and players have stated that their goal this season is to qualify for the UEFA Cup, meaning they will have to finish placed seventh or better.

Read More..

Colantuono Considers Lazio Coaching Position

The ex-Palermo coach is showing an interest in taking over the helm at Lazio should the role become available...

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Lazio have been in a slump lately, losing four matches on the trot, arguably their lowest point in a second consecutive disappointing season.

Delio Rossi is feeling the pressure in the hot seat as the Biancocelesti linger in eleventh place in the Serie A standings and one of the coaches linked with the position, should Rossi leave, is former Palermo coach Stefano Colantuono.

"Me at Lazio? I'm not sure, it's still too early to talk about it," Colantuono told Radio Incontro, suggesting that the situation would be clearer at the end of the season.

"I am a professional and certainly I cannot deny that I have some regrets [with regards to his time at Palermo]. Lazio are an important team, so why not? However, I have not spoken with [Lazio president Claudio] Lotito."

Colantuono had two spells in charge at Palermo during the last two years and both times, he was sacked by Rosanero president Maurizio Zamparini after he did not live up to the out-spoken Sicilian supremo's standards. Read More..

Veron at Lazio by Crespo and Simeone??

According to the Argentine newspaper, the arrival of Veron at Lazio would involve the return of Diego Pablo Simeone and Hernan Crespo. Veron has confirmed the existence of contacts with the capital club and the Argentine journalists ensure that the treaty would also names two former Argentine Lazio landing in Formello as technical directors. Veron on with Simeone and Crespo on the bench. We are entitled to dream.

source :http://www.piazzadellaliberta.it/ Read More..

Juan Sebastián Verón - Lazio, the dream continues.

Juan Sebastián Verón - Lazio, the dream continues. La "bruja" is grilled with Estudiantes shorts that will leave in June, is to proclaim himself in an interview to Radio La Red Argentina. Veron would have been involved in negotiations to bring in new players of Argentina: "I always throw in the midst of this story - said Veron - have said that holding the port here and the players, but has never been true. But if there are many doubts about this thing I will fix them. In June I'm going. " About his possible destination Veron has said: "The president of Lazio calls me every two or three weeks, but I do not want to talk about this now. I'm talking with the River Plate and this emphasis is justified by the fact that I have the contract in deadline. I always listen to the offers they have to me. But now I want to stay quiet. "

The former midfielder biancoceleste has also commented on the market intrigue involving his companion Angeleri team: "I think the leadership was wrong in going to Rome to negotiate with Lazio, without consulting the agent that represents the player " Read More..

Rocchi are ready for Torino..!!

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Lazio are struggling at the moment, having suffered four consecutive defeats, but they will be confident of bouncing back when they play relegation-threatened Torino at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

More good news for coach Delio Rossi will be the return of striker Tomasso Rocchi from injury. The 31-year-old went through the entire training session without problems on Thursday and is now expected to take part against the Granata at the weekend, according to Calciomercato.

The ex-Empoli hitman has been in decent form this season, scoring six times in 14 Serie A appearances.

Goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo, striker Goran Pandev, and defender David Rozenhal all did light workouts after returning from mid-week national team duty with their respective squads. Meanwhile, Aleksandar Kolarov will return on Friday.

Virtually certain to miss that match are Simone Del Nero, Mobido Diakite, Cristian Ledesma and Mourad Meghni, all out through various injuries. Mauro Zarate and Lorenzo De Silvestri are suspended.

Read More..

Simeone to Lazio This June ?

Athletico Madrid fans, enthusiasts of the possibility signing Simeone as a new coach, will receive a disappointment.

Given the average reported by some Spain press in fact, the former technical Estudiantes and River, a much beloved by Madrid rojiblancos could be "blown" by a competitor who in turn could make use of Il Cholo performance as a player. The team in question would be the Lazio that, given the difficult period which is facing Delio Rossi, could also consider the possibility of Diego Simeone as the new coach of the team biancoceleste.

In Spain it is stressed as Lazio interest for Simeone or it might try to contact Il Cholo in the coming weeks. It will be really a "race" between Lazio and Atletico will have Simeone ? Read More..

Angeleri still in doubt

As reported from the SKYsport24 side Estudiantes Marcos Angeleri will not move to Lazio at the end of the season. As reported by satellite shows that the words of the Hidalgo, biancoceleste club would have found agreement with the club but would not have spoken to the player. "Angeleri not go to Lazio because the club got biancoceleste agree only with Estudiantes and we did not speak. So difficult transfer the player to biancocelste "

Read More..