UCL: Lazio - Real Madrid [03-10-07] - Page 2 - TalkSoccer

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 07:23 PM

The game is great, and the fans are hungry for top flight football.

Lazio is a really talented team, and if you think they built this team with NO MONEY, its even more incredible.

I would hate to compare the wages on the pitch at the moment.

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 07:24 PM

...and like Roma, Lazio have a nice "dark" kit on. This is a dark blue, as opposed to Roma's black. Look very sharp.

**sinoy1** · 03-10-2007, 07:26 PM

Yeah their dark blue shirts are definately great looking.Im always a fan of Serie A based teams in CL even if it is Lazio

Real Madrid is pressing as of late.

**sinoy1** · 03-10-2007, 07:34 PM

Half time.Lazio is playing great.They need to beef up the midfield though since Sneijder and Robben are finding lots of space.

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 08:07 PM

Disaster.....RVN gets behind Lazio defense, and buries one.....and it was going so good.

2-1 for Real Madrid.

LEts see what Lazio are made of.

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 08:20 PM

Goal, sublime effort...trying to get the goal scorer.

2-2...awesome game thus far.

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 08:21 PM

Mauri off, Del Nero on....yeah. I want to see this kid.

**Jager** · 03-10-2007, 08:21 PM

Pandev yet again..awesome day for him.

**D-Kin** · 03-10-2007, 10:17 PM

FT 2-2.

Lazio should have won really with the chances they had, Rocchi missed an absolute sitter.

Pandev's goals were quality though, well done Lazio.

**D-Kin** · 03-10-2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Champions League, Gp C Matchday 2 - 3/10/07 (19.45)
Lazio 2 - 2 R Madrid
van Nistelrooy 9, 62 (R), Pandev 32, 76 (L)
Stadio Olimpico

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

Goran Pandev bagged a splendid brace as Lazio held Real Madrid 2-2 and probably deserved all three points.

Tommaso Rocchi was given only a 50 per cent chance of playing this game 24 hours ago, but he made a remarkable recovery from a sprained ankle to lead the line along with Stefano Mauri and Goran Pandev. Lazio fielded an attack-minded squad against Los Galacticos, who had Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro in the heart of defence.

The Biancocelesti had a bright start, as in the opening minutes Sergio Ramos needed a last-ditch tackle to halt Rocchi, while Cannavaro cut short Pandev's counter.

However, it was Real who scored at their first attempt. Luciano Zauri and Guglielmo Stendardo were caught napping when Wesley Sneijder whipped in a free kick as Ruud van Nistelrooy added to his European tally relatively undisturbed.

Cannavaro blocked another Pandev attempt from a corner kick, although there were some penalty appeals for a clumsy Gabriel Heinze challenge on Mauri. Raul and van Nistelrooy combined and were closed down for a corner, but once again Cannavaro had to be on World Cup form to stop Pandev and Heinze flung himself at a Massimo Mutarelli strike.

Pandev really should have done better on 26 minutes when he broke through one tackle from Cannavaro, but tried to dribble between two other players and lost the right moment to shoot. Iker Casillas captured a Cristian Ledesma free kick.

The deserved equaliser finally came on 32 minutes. Rocchi's right-foot strike was deflected out for a corner. As the clearance failed, Zauri chipped it up for a looping Stendardo header and Pandev placed his fantastic volley into the top corner. It was a wonderful goal from the Macedonian and his first in the Champions League.

Real fought back with Sergio Ramos' lob off target, but Lazio earned the right to go into the break on level terms.

The Biancocelesti came out fighting for the second half as Rocchi's assist was too long for Pandev, then the Macedonian just failed to get his head on the end of a looping Mauri cross at the back post.

Ballotta plucked a van Nistelrooy flick and overhead kick out of the air as it threatened to slot in at the near post, but at the other end Mauri sprung the offside trap and somehow didn't make the most of it, forcing Casillas into a tricky one-handed save.

Ballotta also got down well to block van Nistelrooy's volley into the ground, but Lazio should have taken the lead on 57 minutes. Pandev's chipped pass over the defence was hooked down by Rocchi, but the ankle injury may have hindered him as he turned on to the side-netting from point-blank range.

They were made to pay for those misses, as Real again scored with one of their only real opportunities. van Nistelrooy sprung the offside trap in midfield to go clear and he lifted the finish over Ballotta from the edge of the area.

Rossi opted for fresh legs, introducing Lionel Scaloni and striker Stephen Makinwa after Heinze was booked for a scything tackle that forced off Behrami.

Lazio finally snatched another equaliser with that man Pandev again. Makinwa won back the ball in midfield, Pandev drew two defenders towards him, yet placed a left-foot strike beneath their legs to beat Casillas.

There was confusion when Rossi tried to make his final substitution. It seemed as if Pandev was the man to go, but he was unhappy and insisted he could continue, so Mauri came off instead.

Makinwa and Pandev wasted two chances in the same move by misplacing the ball and Lazio nearly won it at the death with Casillas saving Makinwa's counter. Yet in stoppages substitute Drenthe threatened to make it 3-2 for Real with a fierce volley.

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

Lazio: Ballotta; Behrami (Scaloni 67), Stendardo, Cribari, Zauri; Mudingayi, Ledesma, Mutarelli; Mauri (Del Nero 77); Pandev, Rocchi (Makinwa 66)
Real Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze, Marcelo; Sneijder (Drenthe 88), Diarra, Guti, Robben (Higuain 78); Raul (Saviola 83), van Nistelrooy
Ref: De Bleeckere (Bel)

channel4.com - Football Italia

**D-Kin** · 03-10-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Delio Rossi reveals how he prepared Lazio for their gutsy performance in the 2-2 draw with Real Madrid.

“I have a fine squad and if we play our style then we can challenge anyone. We may not be Real Madrid, but we proved tonight that we belong in the Champions League,” smiled the Coach.

“I didn’t need to tell my players to be wary, as they knew that! I told them that they had earned the right to play this game and to give it all they had.

“We were certainly excited at the start with such a packed stadium and we thank the fans for staying so close to us on this great occasion.

“This was a huge event and the lads felt the tension of that, so my job was not so much to motivate as to calm the atmosphere.”

Real went ahead twice with Ruud van Nistelrooy, but both times Goran Pandev scored a wonderful individual effort to pin them back.

“We risked losing because they have great quality and we caused them a lot of problems by keeping the tempo up,” added Rossi.

“Real are masters at passing the ball around and driving the opposition crazy, but I must compliment my men as they remained united and never stopped rushing at them.”

The big surprise was Tommaso Rocchi, who had been given only a 50 per cent chance of featuring 24 hours earlier due to a sprained ankle, yet was in the starting line-up.

“I would choose Rocchi again. He was ready and healthy and Tommaso – like his teammates – deserved to play this match.”

There are reports the striker agreed to come back early if it meant missing out on Sunday’s Serie A clash with Milan.

“I evaluated the situation and it is not certain he won’t play against Milan, but he really wanted this game. We earned this last year, the chance to face Real at the Olimpico in front of our fans and I didn’t feel I could take that away from him.”

Rossi also revealed the reason behind the touchline confusion when Pandev was about to be substituted, spoke to the bench and Stefano Mauri came off instead.

“Goran has this habit of holding his thighs. I had already made two changes and didn’t want to leave in someone who would then go off injured, but it turns out he was just taking a rest!”

channel4.com - Football Italia

**D-Kin** · 03-10-2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Brace hero Goran Pandev insists Lazio could have beaten Real Madrid if they had been a little more clinical.

“We are a young team and it is the first time many of us have been in the Champions League. We stepped on to the field today proving we are not afraid of anyone and we gave Real Madrid real problems,” he said of the spectacular 2-2 draw.

“We played well today and we have problems against teams who clam up, but Real leave you a lot of space so we took advantage of that and were able to play our game.”

In fact, the Biancocelesti had more of the possession, more shots on goal and more efforts on target than Los Galacticos.

“Certainly when you make a mistake against a side like this, you pay the price. Yet we did what we intended to, keeping the pressure on and raising the tempo.

“I try to play for the team and was a little wider on the right. We created plenty of scoring opportunities tonight.”

Ruud van Nistelrooy had twice given Real the advantage at the Stadio Olimpico, but Pandev netted a fantastic volley and solo effort to bring home a point.

Pandev was also at the centre of a curious moment when he was about to be replaced, but he spoke to Coach Delio Rossi and Stefano Mauri went off instead.

“He always wants to substitute me! I had a bit of pain, but there was only 10 minutes left and I wanted to hang on and score another goal. Real were giving us enough space to do that.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

**dukeofdavinci** · 04-10-2007, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Lotito admires Real effort Thursday 4 October, 2007

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

Lazio President Claudio Lotito has spoken of his pride after the Biancocelesti’s 2-2 draw with Real Madrid last night.

The capital club shocked the La Liga champions by controlling the game for long periods and can count themselves unlucky not to have taken all three points.

“We dominated against one of the best sides in Europe,” Lotito beamed at the final whistle.

“We deserved to win and Real President Ramon Calderon even told me so.

Lazio haven’t enjoyed a great start to their Serie A campaign with just one win and four draws to their name, but this result will give them a much-needed boost ahead of Milan’s visit at the weekend.

“We missed four great chances, while they scored with a set-piece and on the counter-attack.

"Things may not have been going so well lately, but we can still hold our own against anyone in Europe.”

nice draw, though they should take more whn they are at home.well a few sneaky away wins here and there will surely make them right behind real

**D-Kin** · 04-10-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Fabio Cannavaro praised Lazio for their performance, but admits “lazy” Real Madrid have much to learn about team spirit and defending as a unit.

“Lazio played a great game and we didn’t do too well, as we should not have left so much space and were lucky they didn’t make the most of that,” he said after the 2-2 draw at the Olimpico.

“I have been playing in Spain for a year and there are differences. You defend less as a unit and more as individuals, so you get a lot of one-against-one or even two-against-one. This is their mentality and that is tough to change, even though we tried last season.”

Fabio Capello won the Liga title with Real, but was fired because his style of play was not considered to be entertaining enough.

Cannavaro was one of the few imports requested by Capello that remained at the club and he revealed the difficulties he has to deal with in Madrid.

“I always tell them to help out the defence, as the important thing in a team is balance and everyone fighting together,” he told Sky Italia television.

“I can’t ask Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul to work in defence, but I can tell them to adjust their position slightly during the difficult times when we are under pressure.

“When you are on the field with attacking midfielders like Wesley Sneijder, Guti and Arjen Robben, they get lazy and focus more on the attack rather than coming back to help out. We do discuss these things.”

Gabriel Heinze was used as Cannavaro’s central defensive partner in that Champions League encounter.

“We have had injuries to Pepe and Metzelder, while we needed a bit more attacking flair down the right with Sergio Ramos, so Heinze was chosen to partner me in the centre. We have a large squad and the Coach likes to change regularly so everyone gets a rest.”

Real Madrid now share top spot in Group C with Olympiacos, who won 3-1 away to Werder Bremen, on four points. Lazio have two points, Werder are yet to get off the mark.

channel4.com - Football Italia

**D-Kin** · 04-10-2007, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Lazio striker Tommaso Rocchi explains why he risked further injury just to face Real Madrid at the Olimpico.

“I recovered in the space of two days, which was pretty much impossible. I wanted to be here and was alright for some of the game, but after a while the pain became too much,” he revealed.

The Lazio star sprained his left ankle during Sunday’s Serie A match at Reggina and only 24 hours before kick-off was given a “50 per cent” chance of featuring.

Yet he started the match and even wasted a golden opportunity to secure victory in the 2-2 draw.

“The important thing is that I was able to experience this event, as I wanted to be here at all costs. Let us say that great chance landed on my injured foot, so I hit it quite weakly.”

There are also reports Rocchi begged to be allowed to face Madrid, accepting a spot in the stands when Lazio take on Milan this weekend.

“We will see whether I will play on Sunday. We’ll have to evaluate the situation and how it develops.”

The Biancocelesti certainly made it a night to remember, as they twice fought back from Ruud van Nistelrooy goals to earn a draw.

“We played well, were very determined, aggressive and worked extremely hard. Looking at the statistics we also had more scoring opportunities, but Real Madrid showed their quality by converting almost all of their chances,” noted Rocchi.

“A draw therefore is the right result, but we have regrets over what we could have done.”

channel4.com - Football Italia