[dukeofdavinci]

Rossi vents his spleen Monday 17 December, 2007

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Lazio Coach Delio Rossi has hit out at the lack of investment in the summer and calls for a change in the structure of European competition.

The Biancocelesti are struggling this season and fell at the first hurdle in the Champions League after defeat against Real Madrid last week.

“I would have expected several reinforcements for the Champions League this summer,” Rossi told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“It didn’t happen so it’s useless to talk about it, but the club knows what I think.

“A side like Lazio should be competitive in all competitions. We are a side that made their own luck playing in a certain way and we don’t know how to do any different.”

While the capital club are bogged down in the bottom half of the table and highly unlikely to bag a UEFA Cup place from the League this term, they could still reach Europe through the Coppa Italia where they face Napoli in the last 16 on Wednesday.

“Unlike other countries, our Cup is worth a place in the UEFA Cup,” Rossi explained. “But still in Italy everyone only thinks about the Champions League.

“The format of the UEFA Cup needs to be changed so that the winner gets into the Champions League – then people would treat it with respect.”

channel4.com - Football Italia