Serie A' MD35: Lazio - Juventus [27-04-08]

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 35 - 27/4/08 (14.00 UK)

Juventus - Lazio
Stadio Olimpico

Roma’s stumble means second place is within reach for Juventus and they hope to take advantage of a dismal spell for a Lazio side decimated by bans.

Claudio Ranieri’s men are on a roll and now just five points behind the Giallorossi with four games to play. It would be quite a feat to catch them in that time, but with the Scudetto out of Roma’s grasp and Francesco Totti out for the next four months, a late collapse is not out of the question. Second would send Juve straight into the Champions League without having to go through the preliminary round and guarantee more cash for the summer transfer kitty.

Lazio were in that competition last season, but a year on are struggling just to stay mid-table. The morale-boosting 3-2 result against Roma on March 19 was their last win, followed by three draws and two defeats to Fiorentina and Catania. Last week’s loss in Sicily was particularly damaging, as it cost Ousmane Dabo a two-match ban, plus suspensions for Luciano Zauri and Cristian Ledesma. Valon Behrami is an injury doubt with a continuing thigh problem and Rolando Bianchi still not 100 per cent fit, so we should see Gaby Mudingayi, Roberto Baronio and Aleksandr Kolarov in the starting XI.

Juventus are missing Vincenzo Iaquinta, Alessandro Birindelli and long-term absentee Jorge Andrade, but can count on Momo Sissoko and Giorgio Chiellini again after their lay-off in the 4-0 demolition of Atalanta. That trip to Bergamo not only cemented Alessandro Del Piero’s candidacy for a Euro 2008 spot, it also put him within two goals of Capocannoniere Marco Borriello. Between the two is his Juve teammate David Trezeguet, so two of the top three scorers in Serie A this season wear the Bianconeri jersey.

This is a special game for former Lazio men Pavel Nedved and Guglielmo Stendardo. The defender only left Rome in January following a blazing row with Coach Delio Rossi, although this week he tended a hand to the tactician and said he is open to a return.

Lazio’s overall record in Turin is very poor with just eight wins and 16 draws in 63 Serie A visits. That includes four different 6-1 losses, the latest in 1994, but times have changed recently and their last meeting in April 2006 ended in a 1-1 draw. The Biancocelesti also conquered Juve 2-1 in December 2002 with Stefano Fiore’s brace.

Keep an eye on: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) – What more can be said of Alex? He is the form player in the entire League at the moment and his hat-trick against Atalanta only confirmed what we already knew.

Last season: Not played

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

Juventus (probable): Buffon; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Camoranesi, Sissoko, Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet, Del Piero

Lazio (probable): Ballotta; De Silvestri, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov; Mudingayi, Baronio, Mutarelli; Mauri; Pandev, Rocchi

Ref: To follow...

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[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 35 - 27/4/08 (14.00 UK)

Juventus 5 - 2 Lazio
Chiellini 15, 89 (J), Camoranesi 21 (J), Del Piero 32 (J), Trezeguet 34 (J), Bianchi 55 (L), Siviglia 61 (L)
Stadio Olimpico

Juventus are officially in the preliminary round of the Champions League after demolishing Lazio.

Claudio Ranieri insisted there was no need to celebrate, especially with second place theoretically up for grabs. Vincenzo Iaquinta remained sidelined, but Lazio were decimated after bans for Luciano Zauri, Ousmane Dabo and Cristian Ledesma joined the injured Tommaso Rocchi, Valon Behrami and Mourad Meghni. It was a special game for ex-Lazio men Pavel Nedved and Gugliemo Stendardo, the latter leaving in January after a furious row with Delio Rossi.

David Trezeguet nodded off target, but it was a similar move that opened the scoring. Giorgio Chiellini's glancing header flashed into the far bottom corner from a Mauro German Camoranesi free kick.

Juventus doubled their advantage with Camoranesi, although Trezeguet should've had it when he incredibly scuffed Alessandro Del Piero's assist from six yards, but the move continued for Camoranesi to side-foot in.

There was truly just one team in this match. Cristiano Zanetti's searching pass allowed Del Piero to cut back past his marker and sweep a perfect left-foot finish into the bottom far corner of the net.

Incredibly 120 seconds later it was 4-0. Camoranesi again inspired with his through ball that Trezeguet flicked up off his heel to slide in at the near post from seven yards.

Lazio finally woke up and had a chance before the break, but a brilliant Gigi Buffon save denied Stefano Mauri's diving header.

Marco Ballotta beat away a powerful Nedved attempt, but Mauri was clear on goal and lost his footing as he went round Buffon, wasting a glorious opportunity.

Rolando Bianchi restored a little dignity with a consolation goal, as Mauri nodded the ball into his path for a precise lob.

Juventus seemed to have stayed in the locker room psychologically for the second half, as Lazio made it 4-2 with a fine Sebastiano Siviglia diving header from Fabio Vignaroli's cross.

The Bianconeri woke up and Nedved cracked the crossbar on the counter-attack, while Lazio went down to 10 men on 75 minutes when Siviglia got a second booking for his tackle on Nedved. It confirms Lazio's status as the least disciplined side in Serie A.

They made it 5-2 in the final minute from a Camoranesi corner kick, as Aleksandr Kolarov slipped during his clearance to effectively set up Chiellini's tap-in from six yards.

Juventus: Buffon; Grygera, Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Camoranesi, Sissoko, Zanetti, Nedved; Del Piero, Trezeguet

Lazio: Ballotta; De Silvestri, Siviglia, Cribari, Radu; Mudingayi, Baronio (Vignaroli 46), Mutarelli; Mauri (Kolarov 78); Pandev, Bianchi (Tare 84)

Ref: Gervasoni

Sent off: Siviglia 75 (L)

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