Features news coverage of Lazio and its players, including match reports, transfer rumours and general football news.
Steve Amoia returns with his preview of Week 35 in the Serie A - with a look at Adriana Lima, transfer rumours involving Milan and highlights from last weekend in Italy.
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Quotes of the Week in Italian Calcio
You didn’t know that Salma likes Italian football? Or can quote the great masters of literature? Do you really care? 
“I wouldn’t repeat the same gesture that cost me a five-game ban. It was a big mistake, especially for the example that I set the children who were watching.” — Antonio Cassano of Sampdoria
Were the children he was talking about one of the jewels of Bari Vecchia? Maybe he needs to tell himself “Vai a fan****!” the next time a Cassanate is on the horizon? Can a referee card him for that? “Mister Collina, the player was cursing himself. Repeatedly. Then he threw his shirt at himself. Should we fine him? No, his behavior has improved markedly. We should buy him another shirt, and call Donadoni…”
“Inter have some tough games coming up and we have been chasing them for two years.” — Daniele De Rossi of AS Roma. Speaking of chasing, some supporters behind the goal are still looking for the spot kick he sailed over Van Der Sar.
“If I have to analyse this game, then I say Palermo had three shots on goal and Gigi Buffon did not make a single save.” — Claudio Ranieri of Juventus
Mister Ranieri with his usual concise, creative, and confounding analysis. Maybe the Americans should hire him for political commentary. “Hillary sounds like Caesar’s wife. Barack sounds like Caligula. John sounds like Mr. Abramovich.”
“Walter will do well because he has lost the short fuse of a player and reasons like a Coach. To be honest, he has surprised me. I remembered him as being brash and also a loudmouth. The day that I left Inter, I didn’t think that he would have a future as a Coach.” — Giovanni Trapattoni of Red Bull Salzburg and soon to be manager of Eire. He was also born on 17 March.
Speaking of short fuses, Mister Trap had a famous video during his time with Bayern Munich. Walter Zenga must have studied that before his first game on the Catania bench. Brash and a loudmouth? Walter? A former goalkeeper? A Northern Italian?
Quotes courtesy of Football Italia.
Video Highlights
Image courtesy of Goalvideoz. Please click the image to view a video highlights menu after the game.
Image courtesy of Serie A TV. Please click the image for free video previews and selected clips after the games.
Giornata/Week 34:
For live scores during the games, please click here.
For an ESPN Matchtracker of Serie A games, please click here.
For a live game tracker called Match View, in Italian, from the Gazzetta dello Sport, which has very detailed statistics and graphical displays, please click here. You may have to click on the number of the week to see a full fixture list.
Saturday, 19 April
AS Roma x Livorno at 1300 GMT.
Fiorentina x Palermo at 1830.
Sunday, 20 April
Cagliari x Empoli: A relegation derby at 1300 GMT.
Siena x Genoa
Atalanta x Juventus
Catania x Lazio
Parma x Napoli
AC Milan x Reggina
Sampdoria x Udinese
Torino x Internazionale at 1830.
For more news in English about Italian football, please visit mCalcio.
For a live radio stream (subject to availability) from RAI, please click here.
If you are new to calcio and the Italian language, I wrote an article called “Soccer Terminology in the Mother Tongue.” Unfortunately, you will not learn the actual chants (i cori) from the stadiums, useful terms to describe rival players and fans (gli avversari), or how to compliment your favorite referee (l’arbitro). For those, you will need to make a visit to bella Italia…
Place your predictions below and may Gerry McDonnell grace us with his odds. And may Salma grace you with, well, I will leave that to your imaginations.
“I could never die on Sunday. Then I would miss my Italian football.”
Steve Amoia is a featured author on Soccerlens. He is the author and editor of World Football Commentaries, and also writes for Keeper Skool.
Written by Steve Amoia. One comment
Ahh… Lazio-Roma. Traditionally called “Stracittadina” (or conventionally “Derby della Capitale“), these derbies are always full of excitement: Laziali and Romanisti go crazy for them, because on top of providing plenty of entertainment (to neutral watchers as well), Stadio Olimpico bragging rights for the entire season are at stake. Last night’s derby however, was particularly important to the Giallorossi because it was meant to maintain Roma’s 5-match unbeaten streak (since the Juventus loss) and keep them close to Inter for the Scudetto race, something which (unlike what Totti may think) is still important to Roma supporters.
Before the match, there was a 24-point difference in the Serie A standings between Lazio and Roma: the teams who stepped onto the Stadio Olimpico of Rome tonight can be said to have very different season objectives at the moment. For the Giallorossi, with Champions League qualification almost guaranteed, the Scudetto race is still very much alive despite the 6-point differential between them and league leaders Inter. For Lazio however, the possibility of remaining out of Europe next season very much a reality, the Biancocelesti are currently left struggling even for a tiny UEFA Cup spot. In derbies however, everyone knows that league standings don’t mean squat and indeed, the victor tonight was not the strongest team on paper.
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Written by Marco Pantanella. 8 comments
Champions League preparation wasn’t the same ballpark game for Milan as it was for Roma on Saturday. While the Giallorossi will be travelling to Madrid with a confident feeling (Roma put on a brilliant display of footy today, winning their home game vs. Parma 4-0), the Rossoneri will be coming from a rather bleak week of Serie A matches: 1-1 vs. Catania Wednesday, same score vs. Lazio today. Granted, Milan will be playing their second leg vs. Arsenal at home, defending a good 0-0 result obtained at Emirates stadium (while Roma will have to keep a potentially troublesome Madrid away goal in mind), but absences in the roster may be starting to take their toll on Ancelotti’s team. They certainly did today.
Bringing you the latest news from the Italian Serie A, mCalcio.com’s Marco Pantanella looks at Saturday’s matches.
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Written by Marco Pantanella. Leave a response
“Messieurs, rien ne va plus“! Scouts/negotiatiors/investors/sporting directors/club presidents have been working their ass off this past month, jumping from table to table in their endless quest for a last-minute star buy, in the traditional carousel that brings players, agents, and club owners all together in a merry-go-round dance. All bets are off now however, because what is known as the “CALCIOMERCATO” back in the old country (or, the January transfer window if your prefer) has officially come to an end as of Wednesday evening.
So for your viewing pleasure, mCalcio.com has arranged a practical table summary for all Serie A INGOING and OUTGOING TRANSFERS of the Winter break, with some great help from La Gazzetta dello Sport. If you’re curious about what other players all these clubs were targeting during this past month (i.e. the “near misses” category), have a look at this post which also includes the PLAYER NEGOTIATIONS.
Written by Marco Pantanella. 4 comments
Rome burns.
This comes after news that a Lazio fan was killed. Details of the incident are still hazy but according to reports, this happened when police officers intervened a roadside argument that got ugly. There were two cars involved in the incident, one carrying Juventus fans and the other Lazio.
In an attempt to disperse the fans, an officer allegedly misfired a warning shot and shot a Lazio fan, Gabriele Sandri, in the back of the neck, possibly causing him to die instantly.
What makes things worse is that it is even suggested that Sandri was seated in the car and was not in any way involved in the roadside brawl. In response, fans in Rome are rioting by setting police cars and vans on fire. The situation is urgent.
This is a sad day for Italian football, which is still recovering from last season’s tragedy, in which a police officer was killed while attempting to quell fighting between fans of Catania and Palermo.
Written by Kenny. 15 comments
