[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 28 - 15/3/08 (17.00 UK)
Udinese - Lazio

Stadio Friuli

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Whenever these sides meet fans are guaranteed a game full of twists and turns, offering a microcosm of their respective seasons.

The Zebrette started their campaign well and were challenging for a Champions League spot until an indifferent January and February left Pasquale Marino’s boys seven points adrift of fourth placed Fiorentina.

Udinese’s attacking assets are well publicised. Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella have made the net bulge 20 times already in 2007-08, but it is their young Slovenian goalkeeper Samir Handanovic who has been in-form of late.

The 23-year-old has had no problem replacing the Bianconeri’s previous shot-stopper, Morgan De Sanctis, who left for Sevilla in the summer, and has contributed as many points to Udinese’s tally as their front-page-grabbing strikers. Handanovic made a string of fine saves to keep Palermo at bay on Saturday, ensuring the game ended 1-1.

Lazio, by contrast, began woefully by collecting only 10 points from their first 10 games. The Champions League group stages and some goalkeeping confusion took their toll, but since the turn of the year the Aquilotti have become more consistent and are playing some thrilling attacking football.

The acquisition of Rolando Bianchi from Manchester City in January has inspired Dellio Rossi to try an exhilarating 4-3-1-2 system. The deployment of Macedonian Goran Pandev in the hole behind the strikers has made great use of his exquisite technique. In Valon Behrami and Daniel Radu, Lazio have a pair of enterprising full-backs capable of supplying Bianchi and Rocchi with more than enough ball to make them happy.

Rocchi and Pandev got on the scoresheet at the weekend in the Rome outfit’s 2-0 win against Livorno. The couple have netted 62 per cent of Lazio’s goals this season, 19 of their 31.

The spring has been a fruitful period for the Aquilotti in recent seasons. Rossi’s men beat Udinese 4-2 at Friuli last March while on their run of eight consecutive victories which ultimately landed them in the Champions League.

Rocchi has scored three in his last three matches against the Zebrette which will worry Marino as his side have only won one of their five fixtures at Friuli in 2008.

Keep an eye on: Goran Pandev (Lazio) – The elegant 24-year-old Macedonian has come into his own in this campaign, becoming the team’s main supplier of goals after Tommaso Rocchi’s injury-plagued season. He scored 11 last year and has already netted 10 with 11 games still to play. No wonder Bayern Munich tried to tempt Lazio President Claudio Lotito with a £26m bid for his services in the summer.

Last season: Udinese 2-4 Lazio

Form guide: Udinese (W L L W D) Lazio (W L W D W)


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Udinese (probable): Handanovic; Coda, Felipe, Siqueira; Ferronetti, D’Agostino, Inler, Isla; Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale

Lazio (probable): Ballotta; Behrami, Siviglia, Cribari, Radu; Dabo, Ledesma, Manfredini; Pandev; Rocchi, Bianchi

Ref: To follow...