AC Milan v Lazio: preview

Last time Lazio won at the San Siro Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was about to be released in Italy – we have to turn the clock back to September 1989, when Paolo Di Canio put out Maldini from behind provoking an own-goal on the 41st minute (a “magnificent” lob from outside the area). The day after that famous win an Italian journalist called Di Canio “zanzara” – mosquito, for him being able to annoy enough a young Paolo Maldini, inducing him into mistake. That AC Milan was led by Arrigo Sacchi and would go on to win the Intercontinental Cup (v Nacional Medellin), the European Super Cup (v Barcelona) and eventually retain the European Cup in Vienna against Benfica (no one has achieved it again ever since).
The Milanese stadium has never been a happy hunting ground for Lazio. The Roman Eagles have only won 9 times there in the League, drawing 18 and leaving empty handed on 39 occasions. AC Milan have scored 135 goals in the process, while Lazio managed to put the ball in the net only 63 times in 66 games. Even when Zarate and Pandev helped Lazio seal a victory in last season’s Coppa Italia, they needed extra time to prevail over the Rossoneri. The head-to-head record is a complete disaster: Lazio have won only once in the last 24 (!) in the league. They went close in 2002/03 season when they led 0-2 before AC Milan equalised, and then two seasons ago when Rolando Bianchi helped Lazio take the lead before the Rossoneri made it 1-1 after Gourcuff had taken a controversial penalty (the ball was placed outside the corner). Also, losing 2-1 in 2005 with Hernan Crespo scoring in injury time (95') was a real hoax.

LAZIO have just beaten Siena and Cagliari with the same outcome (2-0), thus scoring 4 goals and conceding none. Stephan Lichtsteiner opened the scoring on the 5th minute and Julio Cruz (4th goal of the season) doubled the lead with a overhead kick on the 72nd just after 15 seconds he had entered the pitch. It was one of the fastest goals ever in Lazio’s history (if not the fastest). He managed to do the same three years ago in a Milan derby: Roberto Mancini replaced Hernan Crespo and el Jardinero repaid his coach scoring just 11 seconds later. Stefano Mauri and Cristian Brocchi were amongst the best on the night. Lazio won their second consecutive match – something that had happened only once this season back in August. Sergio Floccari will be back from the groin injury and Giuseppe Biava will return from suspension but they should both start on the bench.
Possible line-up (3-5-2): Muslera; Dias, Stendardo, Radu; Lichtsteiner, Brocchi, Ledesma, Mauri, Kolarov; Floccari, Zarate (Rocchi).

AC MILAN are now in crisis. Last Sunday they had the massive chance to overtake Inter at the summit for the first time this season but they blew it, drawing 1-1 at home against Napoli. In the midweek game, they lost 1-0 in Parma (Bojinov netting the winner) and their gap to Jose Mourinho’s team widened again to 4 points. The Devils have only won once in the last 5 outings in all competitions – a last gasp winner scored by Clarence Seedorf against Chievo.
Andrea Pirlo and Ronaldinho’s suspensions rubbed salt into wounds. Onyewu, Nesta, Bonera, Beckham and Pato are all injured. Ex-Roma star Amantino Mancini is a doubt. All this shall lead Leonardo to play Clarence Seedorf in his favourite position, as a deep-lying midfielder behind the two strikers with Flamini, Ambrosini and Gattuso backing the Dutchman. In attack, Leonardo is a bit short of options and will have to decide to field two between Borriello, Inzaghi and Huntelaar. Without Pato, the Rossoneri have visibly lost something in flair and unpredictability. And their forwards have scored only once in the last 5 games (Inzaghi vs Napoli). Thus their young Brazilian coach could easily change the system he has used so far, the 4-2-fantasy (copyright Adriano Galliani), switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation. Under-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, the Ghanian Dominic Adiyah, should be on the bench.
Possible line-up (4-3-1-2): Abbiati; Abate, T. Silva, Favalli, Antonini; Flamini, Gattuso, Ambrosini; Seedorf; Inzaghi, Huntelaar.

Paolo Tagliavento (Terni) will be the referee of this match. He has officiated AC Milan 8 times in his career with the Rossoneri having the upper hand on 5 occasions (3 draws and only 1 defeat). This season he led AC Milan onto the pitch in Siena (where they won 2-1) and Rome (0-0 v AS Roma). Lazio have seen him taking the pitch 12 times reporting 7 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats but never in this season.