Serie A' MD37: Genoa - Lazio [11-05-08]

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 37 - 11/5/08 (14.00 UK)

Genoa - Lazio
Stadio Ferraris

It should be an entertaining afternoon of football as Genoa welcome Lazio to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Week 37. Both teams have no real targets for the end of the season and will go out to enjoy a good game.

The Rossoblu sit 8th in the table with 48 points, while the Biancocelesti are 13th with 40. Their seasons are pretty much over, which means no pressure to perform for both sides.

The Liguri are more than satisfied with their campaign which has gone well above expectations. Coming from Serie B the Grifoni have settled in the top flight and will be looking to establish themselves in the long term. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini is trying to keep his players focused on next Sunday’s clash: “I want to keep our place in the table. We played well against Parma last week.”

Lazio are 13th and their season has been far from successful. They suffered an early exit from the Champions League and paid the price for their European efforts in the campionato. Coach Delio Rossi could be leaving at the end of this season, although they still have the Coppa Italia to play for. “My future with Lazio does not depend on the Coppa Italia,” said the Coach. “It will be fair to wait until the end of the season before taking any decisions.”

Gasperini will line up a 3-4-3 formation. Domenico Criscito and Marco Di Vaio are out suspended. Abdoulay Konko should play in defence while Gaetano De Rosa will sit on the bench. Omar Milanetto will be pulling the strings in midfield. The attacking trident will be reconfirmed with Giuseppe Sculli and Julio Leon starting wide and looking to deliver crosses for Marco Borriello.

Fernando Muslera and Marco Ballotta are in competition for a place in goal, but the Italian is still the first choice. Serbian full-back Aleksander Kolarov will start, while Valon Behrami will move to the midfield. In attack Goran Pandev should start next to Tommaso Rocchi with Stefano Mauri just behind them. Rolando Bianchi will only make the bench.

Keep an eye on: Marco Borriello (Genoa) – The Rossoblu striker is hoping to be crowned Capocannoniere at the end of this season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him scoring a hat-trick on Sunday afternoon…

Last season: Not played

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

Genoa (probable): Rubinho; Konko, Bovo, A.Lucarelli; M.Rossi, Milanetto, Juric, Fabiano; Leon, Borriello, Sculli

Lazio (probable): Ballotta; Zauri, Siviglia, Cribari, Kolarov; Dabo, Ledesma, Behrami; Mauri; Pandev, Rocchi

Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 37 - 11/5/08 (14.00 UK)

Genoa 0 - 2 Lazio
Pandev 32 (L), Rocchi 45 (L)
Stadio Ferraris

Lazio at least got some pride back with a 2-0 victory at Marassi thanks to two well-worked goals.

These two sides had no real targets, though the Biancocelesti were in turmoil after the midweek Coppa Italia semi-final exit to Inter and consequent departure of director of sport Walter Sabatini. Delio Rossi is also on his way out and with him a number of players, while they hadn't won in seven. Domenico Criscito and Marco Di Vaio sat out bans for the Rossoblu, but Capocannoniere Marco Borriello was on the bench. It was a return for Rossi, who was fired after 22 games in charge of Genoa in 1999-2000.

Marco Ballotta needed a fine reaction save to deny Giuseppe Sculli, while Tommaso Rocchi shaved the woodwork with the outside of his right foot.

Full-back Lorenzo De Silvestri tested Rubinho from the edge of the box after dispossessing Danilo.

Lazio opened the scoring with a well-worked team move, as Rocchi flicked on Stefano Mauri's ball for Pandev to drill an angled drive into the far corner from nine yards.

In first half stoppages the Biancocelesti doubled their lead in even simpler fashion, as Valon Behrami found Rocchi clear for the easiest of tap-ins.

Borriello was introduced for the second half, but the best opportunity fell to Abdoullay Konko, who pounced on a Cribari error to thump the upright.

Genoa: Rubinho (Scarpi 46); Konko, Bovo, Lucarelli; Rossi, Milanetto, Juric, Fabiano (Borriello 46); Sculli (Wilson 69), Figueroa, Danilo

Lazio: Ballotta; De Silvestri, Artipoli (Cribari 67), Rozenhal, Zauri; Behrami (Dabo 71), Ledesma, Mutarelli; Mauri; Pandev (Bianchi 79), Rocchi

Ref: Pierpaoli

channel4.com - Football Italia