Serie A' MD12: Inter Milan - Lazio [05-12-07]

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 12 - 11/11/07 (14.00 UK)
Inter - Lazio
LIVE ON FIVE
Stadio Meazza

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Roberto Mancini comes face to face with his former club and hopes to extend Lazio’s crisis, as Inter continue their march on the Scudetto.

Mancio represented the Biancocelesti both as a player and Coach, but with his historic results at San Siro he is already in their Hall of Fame too. This is traditionally an exhilarating encounter and last season Inter only came out on top at the end of a 4-3 thriller, while Lazio have not won here since a 5-3 result in October 1998.

Considering Delio Rossi’s men are coming off three consecutive Serie A defeats to Milan, Roma and Fiorentina, their chances of getting some points here are relatively slim. Both sides also faced must-win midweek matches in the Champions League and a growing injury crisis.

Lazio lost Luciano Zauri during the game with Werder Bremen and he joined Stefano Mauri, Mobido Diakhite, Sebastiano Siviglia, Simone Del Nero and Goran Pandev on the sidelines, although the Macedonian hitman hopes to recover in time. After all, he started his career as an Inter youth product. To make matters worse, Gaby Mudingayi and Massimo Mutarelli are suspended, the latter sitting out a three-match ban for insulting the referee. Under-21 international Lorenzo De Silvestri should step into the left-back role, fresh from extending his contract until 2010, with Fabio Firmani pushing up to a midfield emergency position.

Inter have a larger squad than any other side in Serie A, but Mancini’s midfield choices are very limited. Luis Figo fractured his fibula in a clash with Pavel Nedved during the 1-1 draw at Juventus on Sunday and will be out for approximately two months. Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic, Francesco Toldo and defender Marco Materazzi are also injured, so some reshuffling is required.

Hernan Crespo, Julio Cruz and David Suazo continue their battle to be Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s partner upfront, the Swede the only untouchable in the front line. Adriano is expected to miss out again after Mancini publicly berated him for not “living the life of an athlete.” It is a return to the Olimpico for former Lazio men Cesar Aparecido, Crespo and ex-Roma stars Walter Samuel, Olivier Dacourt and Cristian Chivu.

Keep an eye on: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter) – The Ballon d’Or candidate is the key creative figure for the Serie A leaders and, with Figo out, the one who can guarantee a match-winning moment of magic.

Last season: Inter 4-3 Lazio

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


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Inter (probable): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Samuel, Chivu; Zanetti, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Cesar; Ibrahimovic, Crespo

Lazio (probable): Ballotta; Scaloni, Stendardo, Cribari, De Silvestri; Firmani, Ledesma, Manfredini; Meghni; Rocchi, Makinwa

Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Jager]

Going to need Cucho to step up now, with Figo and Stankovic out.

I think Mancini should give Solari more playing time, he deserves it, considering how you never hear a peep out of him.

[D-Kin]

Lazio have their own injury problems, you'll still get the win.

[Jager]

Cesar: My Lazio regrets Saturday 10 November, 2007

Inter man Cesar Aparecido has confessed to regretting the way he left Lazio in January 2006 as he faces his former teammates this Sunday.

“I had a difficult start there, but also satisfaction to have done so well at that level. We played really good football with Roberto Mancini on the bench, winning the Coppa Italia and reaching the UEFA Cup semi-final,” explained the Brazilian.

“I do regret leaving in bitter circumstances, but I no longer wanted to stay at Lazio. The President’s plans weren’t clear and I was not able to give my best. I sought other motivation despite the great affection I feel for the fans.”

Cesar is not the only player to have left Lazio in a row with patron Lotito over contracts, as Paolo Di Canio and Angelo Peruzzi also protested.

“He looked after the interests of his business and I looked after mine. There were a few misunderstandings, but now we have clarified everything,” assured Cesar in the ‘Corriere dello Sport.’

The move did not exactly go as planned, with the winger going out on loan just six months after the drawn-out transfer.

“I was psychologically blocked and, despite working well during the week, I was unable to perform in a match situation. Arriving mid-season in a squad that already runs like clockwork was not easy.”

Now he has advice for fellow Brazilian Adriano, who is considering a January departure from Inter after a dismal campaign.

“I had a contract with Inter and hoped for another opportunity, knowing it depended on me to get the best out of that chance.

“I just tell Adriano he needs to give everything he’s got. He has a club and teammates who care about him and are trying to provide support. Only he can change his course and return to being the champion he always was.”

There are reports the Nerazzurri would like to send Adriano on loan to England or Spain rather than jump the gun with a permanent sale.

“Going out on loan was helpful for me, but not everyone is the same. The important thing is he does not give up or let his head drop.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Mancini: Adri is out Saturday 10 November, 2007

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Despite missing the injured Hernan Crespo, Roberto Mancini has left Adriano out of the match with Lazio. “Things don’t change in two days.”

The Inter boss and his former star striker are at loggerheads and after the Brazilian’s public complaints about his treatment, Mancio has again refused to even give him a spot on the bench.

“Things don’t change in two days,” was Mancini’s only response to the questions over Adriano in the Press conference.

This was his best opportunity for some time to make his mark in Serie A, as Crespo is out injured, but the Coach preferred to include just three strikers rather than add Adriano to the squad.

“If the Lazio game had been in a few days, I don’t think Crespo would’ve had a problem, but it would be too risky to field him tomorrow,” he explained.

“I don’t think there will be any problem for the Argentina squad, as they will play their first World Cup qualifier in a week, so he will certainly recover quickly.”

Crespo picked up the ankle problem during the 4-2 Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow midweek and Mancini admits some of his stars may be tired from that test, especially as Luis Figo, Dejan Stankovic, Marco Materazzi and Francesco Toldo are still sidelined.

“There could be some extra tiredness, but we have to get used to playing every three days. Javier Zanetti is celebrating his 400th Serie A appearance with an Inter jersey. If he carries on like this, he’ll get to 800!

“Even when he is not 100 per cent fit, he always brings something out and has this extraordinary physical strength thanks to a perfect lifestyle.”

Inter are expected to get three points against a Lazio side that is struggling badly in Serie A with three consecutive defeats, but their morale was boosted by a 2-1 Champions League victory over Werder Bremen.

“It will be a tough encounter. Lazio have had problems, like us, in terms of injuries, though since Delio Rossi has been at the helm they have always played good football,” said the former Biancocelesti boss.

“There are excellent players like Tommaso Rocchi, Cristian Ledesma and Valon Behrami. This is the last game before the break for international duty and so it is important to play well and win so we can stay ahead of the pack.”

Mancini knows Lazio well, having been their player and later a Coach at the Stadio Olimpico.

“They were seven extraordinary years, but that means nothing on matchday. It is a football game and we will try to win.”

Inter squad: Julio Cesar, Orlandoni; Cordoba, Zanetti, Maxwell, Maicon, Burdisso, Rivas, Samuel, Chivu; Jimenez, Dacourt, Cambiasso, Solari, Pelè, Cesar; Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Suazo

channel4.com - Football Italia

[ParmaKing]

We are fine up front, I would even venture to field one of the primavera strikers to play along side Ibra if need be. Imagine that young swede playing with Zlatan?

[D-Kin]

True, but Cruz and Suazo should be enough.

[Jager]

I'm not too bothered. Strikers are not a concern, midfield is a huge problem though.

I find it hard to believe that Pele keeps on getting the nod over Bolzani who is very highly rated in Italy, come on Mancio!

[D-Kin]

The game will now take place on Wednesday December 5 at 7.30pm.

[Jager]

Originally Posted by Joel

The game will now take place on Wednesday December 5 at 7.30pm.

As I figured....we'll keep this stickied for now.

[D-Kin]

Inter squad:

Goalkeepers: 12 Julio Cesar, 22 Paolo Orlandoni.

Defenders: 2 Ivan Cordoba, 4 Javier Zanetti, 6 Maxwell, 13 Maicon, 16 Nicolas Burdisso, 23 Marco Materazzi, 25 Walter Samuel, 26 Cristian Chivu.

Midfielders: 5 Dejan Stankovic, 11 Luis Jimenez, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Santiago Solari, 30 Pelé, 31 Cesar.

Strikers: 8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 9 Julio Cruz, 18 Hernan Crespo, 29 David Suazo

[Jager]

There is an ongoing debate in Italy, that Stankovic should not get his job back, and that Jimenez should start ahead of him, going by recent form.

I tend to agree with line of thinking, and knowing Mancini, he has been known to go with the hot hand.

Look for Deki to be subbed in.

Having said this, I feel Matrix will start though. Imperative to get him back in.

[D-Kin]

Mancio gives Inter update Tuesday 4 December, 2007

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Roberto Mancini wants to keep his Inter side grounded ahead of tomorrow’s game against Lazio and has given an insight into team selection.

The reigning champions have a three-point lead at the top and they prepare to face Lazio as second-placed Roma take on Cagliari in the rescheduled Week 11 fixtures.

Although Mancini has stressed that he feels the Scudetto battle is a two-horse race between Inter and Roma, he laughed off talk of breaking away from the chasing pack.

“Escape from the pack? And where are we going to go?” Mancio joked to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Nerazzurri secured a crucial 2-0 win over Fiorentina last weekend in a game that was touted as a potential banana skin.

“I said that it was an important win to get a good start to a difficult week with three games,” Mancini stressed.

“Then I said that it was a race between Roma and us, as we are the two best squads in my opinion.

“If we were to increase the distance to third it would make things difficult for the others, but it’s a long season.”

A struggling Lazio side arrive in Milan with confidence at a low following a 1-1 draw with Siena that left them poised above the relegation zone.

“Lazio aren’t on good form, but they are a team with three or four very dangerous players away from home,” Mancini continued.

“We need to be careful as tomorrow’s game will be very difficult and we will need to put in a great performance to win with tiredness kicking in. We can’t give them the space to cause us trouble.”

A study recently revealed that Mancini had Europe’s best winning percentage with 62.9 per cent of games won, compared to nearest rival Frank Rijkaard of Barcelona on 60.8.

“I read that and I don’t know what to think,” Mancio mused. “But I don’t believe it counts for much. If you are in charge of a big side you will win most games.

“Things have improved over the years and the negatives have been left in the past. Then we have brought in great players and they are responsible for the big wins.”

With a game against Torino on Sunday, Mancini may shuffle the deck for the Lazio encounter.

“Marco Materazzi will be back in either this game or Sunday’s against Torino,” he explained.

“With so many games we will have to see who is tired after Florence. Dejan Stankovic has only had this heel problem for four months! Sadly it’s a bad one, so you never know when it’s going to go away and come back.”

Luis Jimenez impressed against Fiorentina and looks likely to play an important role this term.

“I think that the time has arrived for Luis Jimenez,” the Beneamata boss said. “I don’t know whether he will play tomorrow or on Sunday, but he is on form.

“He has been in Italy for so long, it’s as if he were an Italian and if he were people would be talking about him as a phenomenon. He’s only 23 and he has the talent to become a great player, it’s up to him.”

Finally, Mancini responded to questions about an alleged approach from Sao Paulo for Adriano.

“I honestly don’t know anything about that,” he shrugged. “I have never spoken about it to Adriano and we have never considered it. I think we will have to wait and see how he feels when he returns to Italy.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

It appears Stankovic is out with an injury.