Coppa Italia Preview: Lazio - Inter

Both Lazio and Inter will fancy their chances of making it to the final following the 0-0 first leg draw at San Siro a few weeks ago.

Lazio’s Final Hope To Salvage Season

Everything rests on Wednesday’s game in Rome, as Lazio attempt to salvage something from a truly disastrous season.

Last year’s third placed finish in Serie A sparked hope among many supporters that a return to the glory days from earlier this decade could be just around the corner.

However this never materialised. Delio Rossi’s men crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages, after finishing bottom of their pool. Their domestic form has been even more disastrous. With just two games of the season remaining, they are languishing in 13th place, just six points above the relegation zone.

Confidence in the capital is not high. They have not won in seven matches in Serie A, losing their last three games on the spin, and conceding eight goals in the process, including a humiliating 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Juventus.

The only way Lazio can save their season, and make it into Europe, will be to beat Inter and qualify for the Coppa Italia final. The 0-0 draw in the first leg at San Siro, will offer them hope that this can be achieved.

Inter Looking For Double

Despite their struggles in recent months, Inter are still on course for a domestic double which, when all things are considered, would still signal a successful season.

The main objective for the campaign was of course the Champions League, but Inter again failed miserably in this quest, limping out in the last 16 to Liverpool.

Over the past month or so, the Nerazzurri have begun to find their pre-Christmas form, with a string of victories that put them onto the cusp of lifting the Scudetto.

Roberto Mancini’s men had the chance to win their third championship on the trot on Sunday with a victory in the Milan derby. However they were outplayed by their city cousins for two-thirds of the game and fell to a 2-1 defeat.

This allowed Roma to close to within three points of them at the top of the table, but with just two games remaining, against Siena and Parma, the Beneamata remain strong favourites.

Wednesday’s Coppa Italia second leg at the Stadio Olimpico will be far from easy for Inter though. When the two sides met there in the league on March 29, Lazio were the better side and probably deserved more than a 1-1 draw. An identical result this time around would be enough to see Inter go through on away goals. Roma or Catania await the winners.

FORM GUIDE (last five fixtures)

Lazio

4/13     Lazio 1-1 Siena                     Serie A

4/16     Inter 0-0 Lazio                      Coppa Italia

4/20     Catania 1-0 Lazio                  Serie A

4/27     Juventus 5-2 Palermo             Serie A

5/04     Lazio 1-2 Palermo                  Serie A  

Inter

4/13     Inter 2-0 Fiorentina                   Serie A

4/16     Inter 0-0 Lazio                         Coppa Italia

4/20     Torino 0-1 Inter                        Serie A

4/27     Inter 2-1 Cagliari                      Serie A

4/04     Milan 2-1 Inter                         Serie A

TEAM NEWS

Lazio

Lazio are deprived of the services of the injured Mourad Meghni, Simone Del Nero, Modibo Diakite, and January signing Stefan Radu. Tommaso Rocchi, Marco Ballotta and Valon Behrami are hoping to return, having missed the weekend defeat to Palermo.

Inter

The Nerazzurri are still without Luis Figo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with doubts still lingering over whether either will play again this season. Olivier Dacourt, Ivan Cordoba, and Walter Samuel were all ruled out for the campaign many months ago.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Goran Pandev (Lazio) – Lazio’s top scorer in Serie A this season will be given the responsibility of firing the club into the final of the Coppa Italia. Marco Materazzi has been shown to struggle against skilful frontmen this season, and Pandev has skill and flair in abundance.

Julio Cruz (Inter) – The Argentine hadn’t scored in the whole of 2008 until just recently, but he has now hit form again, having scored three games on the bounce. The 33-year-old will be hoping to extend this hot-streak in the Olimpico, a stadium he has already scored in this season.

PREDICTION

Inter looked flat and tired against Milan, and they may have one eye on this weekend’s match with Siena, when they will hope to clinch the Scudetto. Lazio meanwhile will pour their body and soul into this game knowing that they have to win if they want to save their season. This determination, as well as the home support, could prove the difference.  

Lazio 2-1 Inter  

Anthony Sormani