Cagliari v Lazio: preview

Lazio approach yet another game without the essential requirements: serenity, confidence and concentration. The players were forced into retreat for the fourth time this season, this time in Norcia (Umbria). The location is a good luck charm. Lazio migrated there before qualifying for the Champions League group stage in 2003 at the expense of Benfica, spent there almost the whole pre-season in 2006 and achieved a surprising third spot the following May, and also went on to win last season’s derby.
On Tuesday our website published an interview with a sports psychologist urging the club to get one. In the very afternoon President Lotito took our advice and had former Federica Pellegrini’s mental coach Daniele Popolizio (32) at his disposal. Things seemed to go well until he left Norcia late last night. All the players just decided they didn’t need one. They said that their only aim and motivation at the moment is to avoid relegation. Unfortunately, as Dr Salvo Russo explained to us before the incident occurred, every Lazio player should not go into a match thinking, “I must win” but thinking “I must do well this pass or move”. Unfortunately the players probably conceived Dr Popolizio as a shrink rather than a proper help.
With Zarate, Radu and Firmani suspended, and both Siviglia and Brocchi sidelined, Edy Reja should probably field this 3-5-2 formation: Muslera; Diakité, Dias, Biava; Lichtsteiner, Mauri, Ledesma, Hitzlsperger, Kolarov; Rocchi, Floccari.
 

CAGLIARI made the headlines in the last days with their president Massimo Cellino stating that his players will refund the supporters in case the Rossoblù don’t win on Sunday. Cellino, who was thought to be close to buy West Ham, Crystal Palace or Portsmouth, had the idea in order to attract people to Stadio Sant’Elia. After losing at Genoa, it seemed like Cagliari lost the very last train heading to Europe. Cellino then decided to raise again the level of expectations.
Tactical genius Massimiliano Allegri confirmed that his players wouldn’t owe anything to their supporters at the end of the match because “they will beat Lazio”. Last week, the Sardinian outfit was involved in one of the best games of the season in Serie A at Genoa (they lost 5-3), despite both defences committing several mistakes and the referee taking at least four wrong decisions. Four were also the posts Genoa hit in the first half. The outcome was something quite unusual for the Italian league – this led La Gazzetta dello Sport labelling it as a “fun fair” (Luna Park).
No fun will wait for Lazio on Sunday afternoon though, despite Cagliari missing two very influential players: AC Milan target man, defender Davide Astori and playmaker Andrea Cossu, who recently collected his first Italy cap against Cameroon in Monaco, won’t join the home side. Cossu can create things from nothing, is one of the best assist-men in the league and, as Allegri stated, “Andrea to us is the typical match-splitter. He is a player who simply can’t be replaced”. The Brazilian Jeda will try to make do.
Alessandro Matri is the in-form player having scored 12 goals so far this season. He is one of Cagliari gold bars: he is now valued 15 millions euros, 11 more than when he arrived in 2007 from AC Milan. The same can be said for Davide Astori whose multiple ownership with the same Milanese team, cost president Cellino 1 million and a half two years ago: he is now rated 6. Davide Biondini arrived from Reggina in 2008 and now his price has boosted from 1,4 million euros to 8. Andrea Cossu was paid 500,000 euros but his talent is now worth more than 3 millions. The goalkeeper Federico Marchetti is likely to go to South Africa as a third choice, and his personal value has shifted from 5 to 12 million euros since he moved from AlbinoLeffe in 2008. This could be Cagliari most probable lineup: (4-3-1-2) Marchetti; Marzoratti, Ariaudo, Canini, Agostini; Biondini, Conti, Lazzari; Jeda; Larrivey, Matri.
 

HEAD-TO-HEAD - Lazio have won 3, drawn 6 and lost only 2 of the last 11 games played in Sardinia. The worst defeat was a 4-1 hammering in 1993/94 season, while the largest victory was in August 2008 when Lazio won 4-1 on the opening day of what looked a much promising season.
After winning at the Olimpico in October, Cagliari will be eager to achieve their first double over Lazio in 39 years. Last time the Sardinians beat Lazio both home and away in the top flight was in the 1970/71: the biancazzurri were thrashed 2-4 at home and lost 2-1 against a Cagliari side proudly displaying the Scudetto on their chest.

STATS - Lazio and Cagliari both kept a 50% clean sheets between home and away matches: Allegri’s side kept a total of 10 (5 both home and away), while Reja’s team kept 6 (3 both home and away). Cagliari can boast the second best home attack in Serie A, having scored 30 of the total 46 goals at the Stadio Sant’Elia. Only Genoa managed to do better, scoring 37. Both teams though have the same form: they both won only one match, drew one and lost three out of the last 5 games. Last time they won, they did it with the some outcome: 2-0 against Parma, with Cagliari doing it at home and Lazio away. Cagliari last failed to score in front of their own suporters more than one year ago when Genoa took the spoils winning 1-0 (14th March 2009).