Coppa Italia QF 2nd Leg: Lazio - Fiorentina [30-01-08]

[dukeofdavinci]

again the 2 sides meet.news and reports to follow.

[dukeofdavinci]

Coppa: Stars miss Rome battle Thursday 24 January, 2008

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Lazio and Fiorentina will both be severely weakened for tonight’s Coppa Italia quarter-final first leg at the Stadio Olimpico.

Both sides view the Cup as a priority and fielded strong teams to negotiate their last 16 ties, but injuries are taking their toll.

Former Lazio striker Christian Vieri had hoped to make his return to Rome to face the side he lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup with in 1998-99, but he will miss out as he isn’t fully fit.

Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli will instead turn to Giampaolo Pazzini and Adrian Mutu.

Alessandro Gamberini, Tomas Ujfalusi and Mario Santana also haven’t made the squad due to injuries.

“They aren’t in top condition and it would be divisive to try and hurry them back,” Prandelli explained.

“But we value the Coppa Italia very highly and we want to get through to treat our fans to a semi-final against Inter or Juventus.”

Fabio Liverani may feature for the Gigliati against his old club, but he is currently struggling with a muscle strain.

Lazio will be looking to impress new arrival Rolando Bianchi, who will watch from the stands.

However, the hosts will probably be without midfielders Gaby Mudingayi and Fabio Firmani as well as Luciano Zauri, Stephen Makinwa – who is on African Nations’ Cup duty with Nigeria – and long-term absentees Mourad Meghni and Mobido Diakhite.

Uruguayan youngster Fernando Muslera is ready to take the gloves from veteran Marco Ballotta.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Cesare expects Cup commitment Wednesday 23 January, 2008

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Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli is focused on tomorrow night’s Coppa Italia quarter-final against Lazio and believes his side can find another gear.

The Viola had a successful first half of the season and have progressed in the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia while holding fourth place in Serie A.

Prandelli has always insisted that Cup glory is one of his main aims and he is set to field a strong side against Lazio.

“It will be an entertaining and difficult game,” he told journalists after training.

“I won’t be changing my formation and I will have everyone available, except for Alessandro Gamberini, Tomas Ujfalusi, Christian Vieri and Mario Santana.

“Lazio have good players as well as a top Coach and they will be very focused on the game.

“The Coppa Italia doesn’t hold such appeal for the biggest sides in the early stages, but towards the end everyone wants the trophy and you can see the hunger.

“I know that all my players want to play and I hope that they will show that on the pitch.

“If we continue working hard and keep this mentality, there is so much room for improvement.”

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[Jager]

I'll give some feedback on this game, as I'm watching it.

[Jager]

I see Mutu, Rocchi, Selvestri, Muntari...seems both lineups are not weak. Actually Lazio aren't playing their regular keeper, so they must be stronger.

[Jager]

Koralov just scores a screamer off a fk, looked like it could of been saved.

Then Bahrami picks up a long, long ball, and slots it home. Horrific display by Fiorentina.

Other than a few players, both teams look really strong.

Pandev and Frey don't seem to be playing.

I look for Fiorentina to get back into this.

[Trim]

Pazzini scored for 2-1. Half time now.

[dukeofdavinci]

Coppa: Quick-fire double stuns Viola Thursday 24 January, 2008

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Two goals in two minutes proved enough to give Lazio a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in tonight's Coppa Italia quarter-final first leg at the Stadio Olimpico.

Both sides had to deal with a number of absentees coming into this game, but Cesare Prandelli and Delio Rossi have both insisted that they see the Cup as priority.

After 19 minutes, the hosts took the lead through defender Aleksandar Kolarov when Viola goalkeeper Cristiano Lupatelli – in for the rested Sebastien Frey – was completely deceived by the flight of a free-kick.

Just a minute later, it was 2-0. Almost straight from the kick-off a long ball found Valon Behrami unmarked and he threaded the ball past Lupatelli and in at the near post.

The Biancocelesti smelled blood and nearly went 3-0 up when Massimo Mutarelli struck the angle of post and bar.

Just two minutes later Mutarelli blasted another rasping drive from 25 yards, which Lupatelli pushed away for a corner.

However, Fiorentina made their possession pay when they made it 2-1 at the break.

Adrian Mutu located Giampaolo Pazzini with a low cross and the former Azzurrini star’s first-time left foot strike clipped the far post and went in.

The game restarted at a reduced pace, but nearly exploded into life after an hour when Pazzini spurned a golden opportunity to level.

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's cross from the left was touched on by Martin Jorgensen, but an unmarked Pazzini hooked over from barely six yards out.

Young Argentine marksman Osvaldo showed some silky skills to break down the left and fire narrowly over from an acute angle.

Both sides seemed fairly happy with a 2-1 score-line that leaves the tie evenly poised for the return leg.

The winner of the tie will face Inter or Juventus in the semi-finals.

Lazio 2-1 Fiorentina
Scorers: Kolarov 19 (L), Behrami 20 (L), Pazzini 40 (F)
Lazio: Muslera; De Silvestri (Siviglia 71), Stendardo, Cribari, Kolarov; Behrami, Ledesma, Mutarelli, Manfredini (Mauri 65); Pandev, Rocchi (Tare 76)
Fiorentina: Lupatelli; Potenza, Dainelli, Kroldrup, Gobbi; Donadel, Semioli, Pazienza (Kuzmanovic 66); Jorgensen, Mutu (Osvaldo 45), Pazzini

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[dukeofdavinci]

Prandelli: Gone in 120 seconds Friday 25 January, 2008

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Cesare Prandelli was left to regret two costly minutes after Fiorentina lost 2-1 to Lazio in the Coppa Italia last night.

Despite playing some attractive football, the Viola were undone at the Stadio Olimpico after two goals in two minutes.

Aleksandar Kolarov’a 19th minute goal was immediately followed by a Valon Behrami strike to give Lazio a 2-0 lead before Giampaolo Pazzini reduced the deficit.

“We reacted well when we went two goals down and in the second half we made chances and played good football,” Prandelli insisted.

“It’s a shame we let in two goals in slightly curious circumstances.”

The former Parma tactician had to shuffle the pack for last night’s clash due to a substantial injury list and is hoping to see some key figures recover soon.

“On Sunday we have an important League match and then we will see who is 100 per cent for the return leg and if we can pick a full side,” Prandelli explained.

Fiorentina look forward to a Tuscan derby away to Empoli this weekend at the Stadio Castellani.

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[Adamo]

If we can hold Fiorentina on Wednesday and advance to the semis that would be very good and hopefully will spark us!

[dukeofdavinci]

Prandelli: Coppa does matter Wednesday 30 January, 2008

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Fiorentina Coach Cesare Prandelli has his heart set on progressing to the Coppa Italia semi-finals by beating Lazio this evening.

The Viola entertain the capital club with a 2-1 deficit from the first leg when they were hit by two goals in two minutes.

While the Tuscans are fighting a demanding battle to finish in the Champions League qualification places and are still involved in the UEFA Cup, Prandelli has always insisted that he isn’t taking the Cup lightly.

“We are going out there with the intention of getting through to the next round,” he stressed.

“We have a great desire to turn over the result from the last game. Mentally we are ready for this Cup and it is a competition that means a lot to us.

“In the first leg we conceded from a free-kick and then we were caught by surprise by a strange goal.

“However, we did really well to stay in the tie and we are ready to have a great game at home.

“We have to chase the win from the start and score without conceding otherwise we have a very difficult situation.”

The winners of the tie face either Juventus or Inter in the semi-finals.

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[dukeofdavinci]

Coppa: Rocchi ends Viola road Wednesday 30 January, 2008

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Tommaso Rocchi came off the bench to complete Lazio’s 2-1 fightback and eliminate Fiorentina on the road to the Coppa Italia semi-final.

The Viola had to fight back from a 2-1 defeat at the Olimpico last week, but both sides fielded relatively strong line-ups, including the debut of Lazio defender Stefan Radu and Rolando Bianchi’s first start.

Riccardo Montolivo forced an early save out of Nando Muslera at the near post, while Sebastien Frey smothered an Aleksander Kolarov free kick.

Fiorentina levelled the scores on aggregate after 17 minutes thanks to Franco Semioli. The former Chievo man ran on to a Christian Vieri pass down the right channel, dribbled past debutant Radu and drilled past Muslera.

Radu had another nervous moment when he risked netting an own goal on Tomas Ujfalusi’s cross, but Frey also had to be alert as Stefano Mauri pounced on a short Dario Dainelli backpass. Lazio equalised thanks to another trademark missile free kick from full-back Kolarov, who left Frey rooted to the spot.

Frey denied Goran Pandev and Muslera kept out Daniel Osvaldo and Montolivo, but it was an inspired Delio Rossi substitution that turned the tie around. Rocchi came off the bench for the ineffective Bianchi and within two minutes had given Lazio the lead. He ran on to a chipped Pandev pass over the defence and chested it down to prod in at the near post with his left foot.

The home side went so close to forcing extra time when Marco Donadel curled a free kick over the defensive wall to crack against the crossbar with Muslera beaten, but substitute Igli Tare nearly extended the Biancocelesti’s advantage as his deflected effort flashed across the face of goal.

Lazio reach the semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate, having won both legs by the same 2-1 scoreline, where they will face either Inter or Juventus.

Fiorentina 1-2 Lazio (2-4 on agg)
Scorers: Semioli 17 (F), Kolarov 34 (L), Rocchi 62 (L)
Fiorentina: Frey; Gobbi, Kroldrup, Dainelli (Gamberini 46), Ujfalusi; Semioli, Pazienza (Pazzini 52), Donadel, Montolivo; Osvaldo (Jorgensen 74), Vieri
Lazio: Muslera; Behrami, Siviglia, Radu, Kolarov; Vignaroli (Artipoli 78), Mudingayi, Mutarelli; Mauri; Bianchi (Rocchi 60), Pandev (Tare 84)
Ref: Brighi

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[dukeofdavinci]

Viola rue Coppa exit Thursday 31 January, 2008

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There’s disappointment in the Fiorentina camp after yesterday’s defeat against Lazio ended the Viola’s Coppa Italia adventure.

The Tuscans may be locked in the battle for Champions League qualification and still involved in the UEFA Cup, but Coach Cesare Prandelli has always stressed his desire to lift the Coppa Italia.

However, despite leading through Franco Semioli, Fiorentina fell to a second 2-1 reverse against Lazio at the Stadio Artemio Franchi to exit the competition 4-2 on aggregate.

““It’s a shame that we were discouraged after their equaliser because we started very well,” Prandelli lamented.

“We came up against a very tight Lazio side and they gave us problems physically, but really we just lost our self-belief.

“Before we went ahead, we had three clear chances and should have taken more confidence from that.”

Goal scorer Semioli was also dejected, but is keen to move the focus to the weekend’s crunch match against Milan.

“I am happy to have scored, but the result was such a shame,” the former Chievo man said.

“We had an excellent first half with good chances, but unfortunately we wasted too many and it was tough to chase the game as that left us unbalanced.

“We feel bitter as we really wanted to get through, but from tomorrow we have to be concentrating on the game against Milan on Sunday.”

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[D-Kin]

Surprising result to be honest.