Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi shrugs off the tag of ‘favourites’ for the Derby della Capitale. “We know our qualities and how to hurt Roma.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT), click here for a match preview.
“Perhaps in theory we are the favourites, considering we won our opening game and Roma drew, but in practice that is absolutely not the case,” warned the Coach in his Press conference.
Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi shrugs off the tag of ‘favourites’ for the Derby della Capitale. “We know our qualities and how to hurt Roma.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT), click here for a match preview.
“Perhaps in theory we are the favourites, considering we won our opening game and Roma drew, but in practice that is absolutely not the case,” warned the Coach in his Press conference.
“We know what a Rome Derby is. These are two games entirely outside of the rest of the season. It’ll be a bit strange playing it in Week 2, which had never happened to me before as a player or Coach. The years go by, but it always feels like the first time.”
The Giallorossi are still getting to grips with new Coach Paulo Fonseca and a much-changed squad, whereas Lazio picked up where they left off in a 3-0 hammering of Sampdoria.
“We prepared well and are concentrated. We must have the same humility and spirit of sacrifice that we saw at Marassi, but at the same time courage, because we know our qualities and how we can hurt Roma. We are up against a strong team that did sell some players, but also brought very strong ones in, keeping Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Dzeko.
“They have a well-prepared Coach who did great work in Ukraine with Shakhtar Donetsk. The players seem to be following him, they had a good pre-season against Lille and Real Madrid.”
Lazio have some injury concerns, but above all players are coming back to the fold this week.
“Everyone is at our disposal except for Wallace and Jordan Lukaku. Lucas Leiva is fit again and I think he will start, then I’ll choose the other midfielders. It could be Leiva on his own or with Marco Parolo, we’ll see tomorrow,” continued Inzaghi.
“People suggest Roma might change some things after the 3-3 draw with Genoa and if they use Alessandro Florenzi instead of Justin Kluivert, that’ll make them a little more defensive. It’s still the same basic system, though, as Fonseca’s philosophy is courageous and he wants to cause us problems.”
Inzaghi said after the 3-0 win at Sampdoria that he was tired of the media ignoring Lazio as top four contenders.
“I am used to it… This is my fourth season here and nobody talked about Lazio over the summer. Now all of a sudden we are supposed to be favourites to win the Derby, whereas a few days ago we weren’t even mentioned for the top five.
“We know that we have quality, it’s about uniting that with pace, determination, hard work, sacrifice and courage.”