Chasing a dream. Lazio and Napoli inaugurate the second round with two very important matches, perhaps decisive for the purposes of their respective objectives. In fact, the matches with Sampdoria (15 pm) and Fiorentina (20.45 pm) must be won at all costs, on pain of including them in the folder of wasted opportunities. Which, in the case of Gattuso's Azzurri, is decidedly richer than Inzaghi's, as demonstrated by the rankings. To tell the truth, Lazio is doing even better than expected in the summer, but since appetite comes with eating, the idea of fighting for the Scudetto is making its way around Formello, especially since at the the match against Verona is still missing.
Of course, to keep dreaming you need to beat Sampdoria, and then dive headlong into a very hot week, which will first see the quarter-final of the Coppa Italia against Napoli and immediately after the derby with Roma. “Our goal remains the Champions League zone, I spoke of the Scudetto only by virtue of the eleven consecutive victories – Inzaghi evaded. – We had an amazing first leg and now we want to start over from here. The path so far has been extraordinary but we will meet strong opponents who will make our path difficult".
A little water on the fire of Lazio enthusiasm could also do good, but the coach certainly knows that his team is currently one of the best-formed teams in the league and certainly doesn't want to stop right now. The hunt for the twelfth consecutive success starts without the disqualified Lulic e with a Correa in mid-service, for the rest, however, all skilled and enrolled, therefore 3-5-2 by order with Strakosha in goal, Luiz Felipe, Acerbi and Radu in defense, Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Luis Alberto and Jony in midfield, Caicedo and top scorer Immobile in attack.
Opposite will be Roma player Ranieri's Sampdoria, determined to trip their rivals with the usual 4-4-2 with Audero in goal, Bereszynski, Chabot, Colley and Murru in the back, Thorsby, Ekdal, Vieira and Linetty in median behind the offensive couple made up of Gabbiadini and Quagliarella. In the evening the spotlights will move to the San Paolo, where Napoli, after their success in the Cup with Perugia, will try to return to victory in the league as well. In front, however, there won't be Cosmi's Umbrians but Iachini's reborn Fiorentina, capable of beating Spal and, above all, of eliminating Atalanta.
A good test bench for Gattuso, aware that the 3 points are basically required: vice versa the week that is about to begin (Lazio in the Italian Cup and Juventus) would be really heavy. “We know it's very important for us, we play a lot – confirmed the blue coach bluntly. – We are not thinking about Lazio and Juve but only about taking the three points. Since I've been here we haven't done great numbers at home, now we play against a lively team that keeps the field well and runs a lot. Our Champions League, to date, is to beat Fiorentina".
In fact, the eleventh place in the standings requires a decisive change of gear, otherwise the risk of not even qualifying for the Europa League would become a reality. Napoli, without victories at the San Paolo since 19 October, will be able to count on the two new signings Demme and Lobotka (on the bench for both), but not on Koulibaly and Mertens, still in the pits like Maksimovic, Ghoulam, Malcuit and Younes. Gattuso will therefore rely on a 4-3-3 with Ospina in goal (Meret is called up but not yet at his best), Hysaj, Di Lorenzo, Manolas and Luperto in defense, Allan, Fabian Ruiz and Zielinski in midfield, Callejon, Milik and Insignia in attack.
Classic 3-5-2 instead for Iachini, who with the exception of the long-term patient Ribery can count on the whole squad, including newcomer Cutrone, already scored on Wednesday against Atalanta. Between the posts there will be Dragowski, with Milenkovic, Pezzella and Caceres in the back department, Lirola, Benassi, Pulgar, Castrovilli and Dalbert in the midfield, Chiesa and Cutrone as an offensive couple.
