[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 33 - 13/4/08 (14.00 UK)
Lazio - Siena

Stadio Olimpico

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With three Romans in their starting line-up and two former Giallorossi making up their squad, Siena’s trip to Lazio has something of a derby flavour to it.

The Biancocelesti are unbeaten in six at the Olimpico and are finally starting to show the form that placed them third last season. Coach Delio Rossi’s men are 18 points worse off than they were at the same stage 12 months ago partly because Lazio only won two of their first 12 fixtures.

The Aquilotti have been electric since the arrival of striker Rolando Bianchi and versatile defender Stefan Radu in January. Both have balanced a side that had, up until then, conceded too many goals and not scored enough. Lazio have, a la Newcastle, deployed an attacking trident that, since the turn of the year, has brought 14 of the team’s 20 goals. Tommaso Rocchi and Goran Pandev, who was at his troublesome best in Parma at the weekend, have 12 strikes a piece and will test a talented Siena defence.

Rossi is likely to keep faith in Nestor Muslera, the 21-year-old goalkeeper wanted by Arsenal and Juventus, mindful both of the youngster’s impressive display against Parma and of veteran Marco Ballotta’s howler at Siena in December.

Siena have only been defeated once in their last 10 fixtures and, hovering eight points above the drop zone, can move one step closer to safety with a useful result in Rome. The Robur held high-flying Udinese to a 1-1 draw at the Artemio Franchi on Sunday and, perhaps, deserved more, having more possession, shots and chances than the Friulians.

Coach Mario Beretta will be confident his side can beat Lazio, having recorded three clean-sheets, two of which were away, in their last four games. Former Arsenal and Fiorentina goalkeeper Alex Manninger has been one of the stand-out performers in Serie A this season and was in fine form at the weekend, earning himself a place in La Gazzetta dello Sport’s team of the week.

Massimo Maccarone will almost certainly lead the line come Sunday. Big Mac has served up a special season, getting himself into double figures for the first time since 2001-02 which persuaded Middlesbrough to fork out £8.15m for his talents. Could he be an outside bet for a place in the Italy squad this summer?

Keep an eye on: Goran Pandev (Lazio) – The Macedonian, whose drunken runs are never out of control but efficacious, has already broken his personal record for goals scored in a single season, notching up 12 with six games still to play. The man Inter let get away was subject to a bid from Bayern Munich last summer and will no doubt be receiving more offers at the end of the current campaign.

Last season: Lazio 1-1 Siena

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


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lazio (probable): Muslera; Behrami, Cribari, Radu, Kolarov; Mudingayi, Ledesma, Mutarelli; Pandev, Bianchi, Rocchi

Siena (probable): Manninger; Rossettini, Portanova, Loria, Rossi; Coppola, Galloppa, Vergassola; Locatelli; Maccarone, Rigano

Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia