official thread LAzio vs Empoli

[valdanito]

Lazio are back in contention for a fourth place Serie A finish after last week’s impressive 3-0 win at rivals Parma. They’ll be looking for another victory in Week 21 even if a rejuvenated Empoli side are not going to make it easy for them.

Despite the loss of Dejan Stankovic to Inter in January, boss Roberto Mancini has coped well by giving Fiore the licence to roam forward in an effort to aid the strikers. The Biancocelesti also look particularly impressive in front of goal after Bernardo Corradi and Claudio Lopez both netted last Sunday. Lopez seems to be back to his best after his injury problems.

Giuliano Giannichedda is set to start in midfield after Ousmane Dabo was sidelined for three weeks with a knee injury. Veteran defender Paolo Negro is also injured. While Jaap Stam is set to start as right back again – relegating Massimo Oddo to the bench.

Empoli’s season has got back on track in recent weeks after wins against Inter and Siena, plus a stunning 3-3 draw with Italian champions Juventus. But if Lazio can stop Di Natale and Rocchi then home advantage should see them triumph.



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Lazio (probable): Peruzzi; Stam, Couto, Mihajlovic, Favalli; Liverani, Giannichedda, Fiore, Cesar; Lopez, Corradi

Empoli (probable): Balli; Lanzaro, Cribari, Vargas, Cupi; Ficini, Grella; Busce, Vannucchi, Di Natale; Rocchi

Ref: To folllow


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[valdanito]

02/14/2004. BACKGROUND:

Following their Coppa Italia final qualification, Lazio will host at the 'Olimpico' stadium Empoli to keep on challenging Inter for the Serie A fourth place which gives qualifications to the Champions League.

In total, Lazio and Empoli have played each other 5 times in Rome, 3 matches in Serie A, 1 in Serie B and another one in Coppa Italia.

Empoli have always lost these encounters except once when in the first ever match between these two sides, in Serie B, the Tuscan side held Lazio 0-0 in the 1985/86 season.

In the other 4 encounters, the biancocelesti always emerged as the winners, scoring 13 goals and conceding just 3.

The last Lazio win occured last season when after an own goal by Oddo had given the temporary lead to Empoli, the biancocelesti came back, scoring 4 goals through Claudio Lopez, Corradi, Simeone and Castroman.


TEAM NEWS:

Lazio - Mancini will have 4 players missing through injury, the latest of which was Albertini who suffered a muscle problem in the last training on Friday afternoon. The other unavailable players are Negro, Dabo and Gottardi who are still recovering from their respective injuries.

Empoli - Perotti will field more or less his first team that has offered him some great satisfactions in these last weeks against teams like Inter and Juve, however will have to be without first choice keeper Bucci, injured. Grella and Gasparetto are unavailable because of injury as well and will therefore miss the match.


PROBABLE FORMATIONS:

Lazio (4-3-3) - Peruzzi; Oddo, Stam, Mihajlovic, Favalli; Fiore, Giannichedda, Liverani; Lopez, Corradi, Cesar.


Empoli (4-3-2-1) - Balli; Belleri, Cribari, Vargas, Cupi; Ficini, Zanetti, Busce`; Vannucchi, Di Natale; Rocchi.


PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Fiore (Lazio) - Is in an incredible form since the departure of Stankovic and being moved back to his natural position on the field. Watch out for him as he can score or create chances out of nothing.

Rocchi (Empoli) - Currently Empoli's most dangerous man after scoring 5 goals in the last 4 games, 4 of which came against Inter and Juve. Lazio are warned.
Glenn Debattista

soccerage

[valdanito]

u can figure out what its saying

Roberto Mancini ha convocato diciassette giocatori per l'incontro Lazio-Empoli in programma domani alle ore 18 allo stadio Olimpico. Forfait dell'ultima ora per Albertini, bloccato da un malanno muscolare.
Ecco l'elenco completo dei giocatori a disposizione del tecnico: Cesar, Colonnese, Corradi, Couto, Favalli, Fiore, Giannichedda, Inzaghi, Liverani, Lopez, Mihajlovic, Muzzi, Oddo, Peruzzi, Sereni, Stam, Zauri.

INDISPONIBILI: Negro, Gottardi, Albertini, Dabo

[MarieL]

Huh? What is that...Chinese?
Just kidding

Anyways, Empoli's just the kind of team we should be scared of. They've beaten us before and I wouldn't be surprised if they did it again. I would be mad though, really mad.

ForZa LaZio!

[valdanito]

lets keep the right mentality! i hope lazio can keep playing the way theyhave

[MarieL]

Well looking good so far...3-0! Go team!

[valdanito]

so 10 goals in the last 3 games

0 in the back of the net!

sound nice

lets try keeping this form on

FORZA LAZIO

nw 13 diff players have scored so dfar in serie a this season

[MarieL]

It's kind of odd how our defenders like to score so much but I'm not complaining as long as someone does the job. We're flying!