Lazio Press Room:One more year for Ballotta

[Daniele]

Might TAL, don't you think the fact that the same players who poured their hearts out in a 2-2 draw with Real had to play again against A.C. 4 days later who are comparable if not better than Madrid had something to do with the 5-1 loss? Lazio was in the game and slowly began to fade near the end of the 1st half. I think it can be attributed to fatigue. Which in my mind is the fault of Lotito who didn't buy any players during the transfer window.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Originally Posted by Joel

They lost 5-1 but four of those goals were the fault of their young keeper who was making his debut in Serie A.

The result didn't really reflect the performance.

But I still think the effort was absent. No spirit at all.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Originally Posted by Daniele

Might TAL, don't you think the fact that the same players who poured their hearts out in a 2-2 draw with Real had to play again against A.C. 4 days later who are comparable if not better than Madrid had something to do with the 5-1 loss? Lazio was in the game and slowly began to fade near the end of the 1st half. I think it can be attributed to fatigue. Which in my mind is the fault of Lotito who didn't buy any players during the transfer window.

A good team don't lose 1-5 at home. There is no excuse for losing that much.

[D-Kin]

Originally Posted by Mighty T.A.L.

A good team don't lose 1-5 at home. There is no excuse for losing that much.

It happens, believe me.

Especially when you're playing a team like Milan and your goalkeeper makes as many individual mistakes as he did.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

This young goalkeeper...Is he Lazio first goalkeeper or is the first goalkeeper injured?They lost a good goalkeeper in Peruzzi.

[D-Kin]

Carizzo (a quality player) was supposed to be their first choice goalkeeper this season but he had passport problems and won't arrive until January.

So yeah, this kid is basically all they've got at the moment.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Then I guess the legend Marco Ballotta also have retired... He was a good cover for Peruzzi.

[dukeofdavinci]

Lazio fans face Mutu action Monday 5 November, 2007

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Lazio could be facing disciplinary action after Fiorentina’s Adrian Mutu was the victim of racist abuse at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

The Romanian hitman was brought on as a substitute and immediately made a poor tackle on Cristian Ledesma.

Sections of the Curva Nord responded with chants that labelled the ex-Chelsea man a “gypsy” and hit out at his nation.

Anti-Romanian feeling has been a problem in the capital since an Italian woman Giovanna Reggiani was recently killed by a Romanian man as she left a Rome train station.

There were also clashes when the Aquile faced in Romanian champions Dinamo Bucharest in a Champions League preliminary earlier in the season.

The capital club could now face the closure of the Curva Nord for their game against Parma on November 25.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[dukeofdavinci]

Guidolin: No Lazio approach Tuesday 6 November, 2007

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Francesco Guidolin denies Lazio are lining him up to replace Delio Rossi and reveals his motives from snubbing the Queens Park Rangers job.

Lazio are struggling and the pressure is building on Coach Delio Rossi, prompting rumours that President Claudio Lotito has already approached Guidolin.

However, the ex-Palermo man insists that these whispers are false.

“I’ve heard these rumours, but they are completely without foundation,” he told Udineseblog.it. “There’s no truth in them whatsoever.”

“First of all, nobody should be taking Rossi’s job after all that he has achieved in Rome.

“He’s a great Coach and it’s absurd to be speculating about his job as soon as he hits a tough spell.”

Guidolin has been unemployed since leaving the Stadio Renzo Barbera last year, but Italian owner Flavio Briatore offered him the Queens Park Rangers job before Luigi De Canio took the post.

“I went to London to talk to Briatore who has so much enthusiasm,” Guidolin admitted.

“London fascinates me, but I knew that it wouldn’t be the right choice so I didn’t consider it.”

While the Treviso native seems content to bide his time, he indicated that he would jump at the chance to return to one Serie A side.

“I’d like to finish my coaching career with Udinese as my year there was fantastic,” he revealed.

“I like to dedicate myself completely to football in a quiet atmosphere where I can best express myself and Udine was ideal.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[dukeofdavinci]

Lazio seek Carrizo alternative Thursday 13 December, 2007

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Lazio’s chances of signing Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo are fading, so Christian Abbiati and Marco Amelia are in the frame.

The Biancocelesti provisionally agreed a £5m deal with River Plate for Carrizo in the summer, but complications over his attempt to gain EU-citizenship have stalled the move.

Lazio President Claudio Lotito [pictured] had expected the problems to be resolved in the New Year, but now it seems that they will have to look elsewhere for a long-term custodian to fill the void left by the retirement of Angelo Peruzzi.

Abbiati is warming the bench at Atletico Madrid – on loan from Milan – and would reportedly welcome a return to the peninsula, prompting whispers that he may be the answer.

Livorno’s Amelia is keen to join a more prestigious club and is eyeing a return to his hometown Rome, although he has stressed his desire to play for Roma rather than Lazio.

The Tuscans are also less than willing to part with a prized asset and are likely to resist the sale.

“I don’t intend to sell Amelia,” President Aldo Spinelli stated. “At the moment we need to keep hold of all our players.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[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

[dukeofdavinci]

Siviglia denies Lazio chaos Monday 17 December, 2007

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Lazio stopper Sebastiano Siviglia insists that there is no crisis in the Biancocelesti dressing room, despite reports of unrest.

The capital club have suffered a wretched start to their Serie A campaign and failed to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

After last Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at the hands of Juventus, Guglielmo Stendardo was locked in a bitter row with boss Delio Rossi and there has been speculation that the atmosphere is fraught ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia clash against Napoli.

“We have to stay united because we have every chance of sorting things out,” Siviglia declared.

“I’m talking about the dressing room and also to our fans. We aren’t robots. We are humans who sometimes fall out.

“We are still in a position to return to form, but we need to react to the situation that has left us in the wrong half of the table.

“This is the time to give a strong signal and we have to show that we aren’t far from being the side we have been. This has been a period of suffering from injuries and other problems, but we can come through.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[dukeofdavinci]

Lazio’s dressing room spat Monday 17 December, 2007

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Lazio defender Guglielmo Stendardo could be headed for a Stadio Olimpico exit after a ferocious argument with Coach Delio Rossi.

The two men squared off and bellowed insults at each other after the Biancocelesti’s 3-2 defeat against Juventus last Saturday.

Reports suggest that relations in the Lazio dressing room are strained and have worsened with the capital club’s exit from the Champions League.

Stendardo is believed to have met with President Claudio Lotito yesterday and demanded a transfer in June.

The powerful Neapolitan stopper has been at Lazio since 2005, but he has made just 39 full appearances.

The 26-year-old is expected to start talking to other Serie A clubs as soon as possible with hometown club Napoli the favoured destination

this one should be ahead of the above one since i was reading from the top then i stumbled upon this one

[dukeofdavinci]

Rossi: I'm in charge here Tuesday 18 December, 2007

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Lazio Coach Delio Rossi has confirmed an argument with defender Guglielmo Stendardo. “I make the decisions, he did not agree.”


There were reports of a locker room bust-up between the two men this week and Stendardo is not included in the squad for Wednesday’s Coppa Italia encounter with Napoli.


“Professionals must put themselves at the disposal of the team. There is nothing on the contract about guaranteeing a starting place,” warned the tactician.


“If someone is a constant fixture in the side it is because they earned it on the pitch. I make the decisions, he did not agree.”


This boosts reports that Stendardo is set for a January transfer away from the Olimpico.


“Whoever thinks he is too big for Lazio would do well to tell the club, there’s no problem. I want to underline though that Stendardo has not been frozen out. He simply has not been called up for this game and he trained today.”


Rossi was hailed as a hero after taking the Biancocelesti to the Champions League despite a Calciopoli points penalty last season, but their failure to get past the group stage – and not even fall back on a UEFA Cup spot – piled on the pressure.


Following their 3-2 home defeat to Juventus, Lazio are only three points clear of the relegation zone and the Coach knows his job is at risk.


“I am a fighter, I’ve become hardened to difficulties now. I have a contract with Lazio, but if the enthusiasm went out of it then I would evaluate other situations.”

channel4.com - Football Italia