The capital up for grabs. After weeks spent chasing each other, Lazio and Rome are preparing to challenge each other in the derby (18 pm), for a highly anticipated face-to-face even if, ranking in hand, less delicate than might have been expected. Yes, because the defeat of Napoli (in addition to the decision of the League not to respect the contemporaneity) has removed a lot of pathos from the match: in fact, with a draw, the Giallorossi and Biancocelesti would cut Benitez's team out of the Champions League race. But no one, on both banks of the Tiber, wants to hear about the "biscuit": not Roma, which has mathematically already conquered the podium, not Lazio, eager to take that second place which would be worth 30-40 million, as well as city supremacy.
“We want to win at all costs and finish the championship to the max – explained Pioli at the press conference. - Doing calculations would not make sense, certain speeches only serve to create further difficulties. We will have to play at our best, second place is our goal”. The same concepts are also expressed in the parts of Trigoria, albeit with an extra pinch of venom.
“First of all I wonder if, given that the final of the Italian Cup lasted 120', the match isn't postponed to Tuesday – Garcia commented, rather piqued. – I think Lazio are favourites, everyone says it, right? And then it will necessarily be like this, you see that they are the strongest. However, we are not interested in the calculations, what we really want is second place, this is the only result that interests us. I tell the fans not to worry, they will see two high-level teams and the best referee in Italy and in the world (Rizzoli, ed). This is also a good thing given that, after crying over the episodes against Inter, Lazio won in Genoa with an irregular goal”.
We haven't seen so many barbs in a press conference since Di Canio-Totti: a sign that the pressure is enormous, for both teams. Standings in hand will be the biancocelesti who will have to play the game, while Roma could also settle for a draw that would keep them in second place. Once the disappointment of the Italian Cup has been disposed of, Pioli will try to overtake his cousins by returning to 4-2-3-1. In defense, in front of Marchetti, space for Basta, De Vrij, Gentiletti and Lulic, Parolo and Biglia in midfield, Candreva, Mauri and Felipe Anderson in the frontline, Klose in attack.
Garcia will respond with the usual 4-3-3: De Sanctis in goal, Florenzi, Manolas, Yanga Mbiwa and Torosidis in defense, Pjanic (slight favorite over Keita), De Rossi and Nainggolan in midfield, Iturbe, Totti and Ibarbo in attack. On the pitch, the show should be guaranteed, we hope the same can be said about the stands. Public order, as always in the Rome derbies, presents pitfalls and concerns: the Prefect Gabrielli will rely on 1700 agents of the forces of order, supported by about 800 stewards.
Armored city and in difficulty (many businesses in the area will remain closed for safety), moreover on a weekday, with the logical consequence of a full but not sold out Olympic stadium (around 50 tickets sold). Hoping that everything goes well, one question remains: couldn't we really play on Sunday?
