Società Sportiva Lazio

[taz]

Galatasaray have announced the capture of Fernando Muslera from Italian outfit Lazio.

The goalkeeper, whose Lazio deal was set to expire in 2012, was made available by the Stadio Olimpico outfit after an agreement over an extension could not be reached.

The Uruguayan international has signed a five-year contract in Turkey that will see him net €2m a campaign.

Lazio have already signed his replacement after they grabbed Federico Marchetti from Cagliari for €5.2m earlier this month.

[taz]

UAE club Al Nasr have signed Lazio midfielder Mark Bresciano on a two-year deal.

Bresciano, 31, agreed terms with the Oud Mehta outfit on Monday and will reunite with his old Palermo coach Walter Zenga.

After failing to land South Korea international Lee Yong-rae, Al Nasr team manager Khalid Obaid is delighted with the acquisition of the Australia international.

"Bresciano is a good addition to the team with European experience," Obaid said on Gulf News.

"The board has supported Zenga's ambition and with Bresciano we will challenge for the title and Asian Champions League progression this season."

The midfielder is reported to have put pen to paper on a deal worth £3.4million and will join Al Nasr as their Asian allocation.

The move will complete the club's foreign quota, with UAE rules limiting clubs to four foreigners per squad, one of whom must be from the Asian Football Confederation.

[Messinterista]

Milan 2 - 2 Lazio

Klose 12 (L), Cisse' 22 (L), Ibrahimovic 29 (M), Cassano 33 (M)
Stadio Meazza

Antonio Cassano's Milan came back from 2-0 down in a spectacular draw after Miroslav Klose and Djibril Cisse' scored on Lazio debuts.

The Serie A season kicked off at San Siro with the reigning champions beginning the defence of their title against a Lazio side who pushed hard for Champions League football last term.

Robinho, Clarence Seedorf and Gianluca Zambrotta were not risked ahead of the trip to Barcelona, so with Philippe Mexes, Taye Taiwo and Mathieu Flamini sidelined, Alberto Aquilani made his first appearance in a Milan jersey. Lazio lost Lorik Cana, Stefan Radu, Giuseppe Sculli, Marius Stankevicius and the suspended Federico Marchetti. Djibril Cisse' and Miroslav Klose got their Serie A debuts, while goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri had his first League game in two and a half years.

Lazio last conquered San Siro in Serie A with a 1-0 result on September 3, 1989. That was followed by 13 defeats and eight draws, but they were also unbeaten here since September 2008.

Aquilani should've given Milan the lead after seven minutes when a wonderful Ibra through ball released him clear on goal, but he hesitated and fired straight at the goalkeeper from six yards. Moments later, Stefano Mauri flashed a ball across the face of goal, but Klose couldn't quite make contact at full stretch.

Lazio broke the deadlock with Klose taking under 12 minutes to mark his Serie A debut. It was a well-worked move, as Klose hooked a Mauri ball past Alessandro Nesta with his right foot to fire low from nine yards with his left. However, there were some doubts over a handling offence.

It was so nearly 2-0, as Cisse' pounced on a defensive error when Nesta crashed into Gennaro Gattuso, but Christian Abbiati beat the shot away and Klose fired wide under pressure. Gattuso picked up an eye injury during that incident and had to make way for the not 100 per cent fit Mark Van Bommel.

Lazio did double their lead with another goal from their debutant strikers. Cisse' powered in the header between defenders to put Mauri's cross into the near top corner. Abbiati was rooted to the spot.

Milan got themselves back into the game when Cassano sprung the offside trap from an Aquilani ball over the top and rolled it back into the middle for Ibra's easiest of tap-ins.

Kevin-Prince Boateng unleashed a snapshot that Bizzarri just about turned round the near post. However, from the corner Cassano got a glancing header that squirmed past the goalkeeper at the back stick to equalise.

Lazio should've been back in front when Abdoulay Konko burst down the right, but his pull-back for an unmarked Hernanes was somehow scuffed wide!

Right after the restart, a Cassano solo effort saw his angled drive flash inches past the base of the far post. Boateng then just missed with a diving header, but landed awkwardly and was able to continue after treatment to his shoulder.

Milan were now dominating and Cassano almost scored a sensational goal. He chested down Ibra's chipped pass and smacked a shot against the base of the near post. Moments later Cassano turned provider for Boateng, his volley stinging Bizzarri's palms as it headed towards the top corner.

However, there was a huge scare when Abbiati rushed off his line and missed the ball, but Nesta stuck to Cisse' like glue to acrobatically block the finish in front of an open goal.

Klose was getting tired and made way for Alejandro Gonzalez, while Antonio Nocerino made his Milan debut in place of Aquilani. Alexandre Pato was also thrown on as the Rossoneri pushed to win in the final stages. Senad Lulic made his Serie A bow, but Mauri was booked for taking too long to leave the field.

Bizzarri plucked an Ignazio Abate cross off the feet of Ibrahimovic, then Lulic desperately anticipated Cassano on the counter. Cassano theaded through to release Ibrahimovic, but Bizzarri got down to beat away the angled drive.

In stoppages Pato fired over the bar from a very promising position and wasted Milan's opportunity to win. Ibrahimovic then stumbled over a combination of the ball and Luciano Zauri when Giuseppe Biava made a mistake in the offside trap.

There was controversy at the 95th minute of stoppages when Milan were awarded a corner, but the referee called a halt to the game before it could be taken.
Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Gattuso (Van Bommel 20), Ambrosini, Aquilani (Nocerino 68); Boateng (Pato 75); Ibrahimovic, Cassano

Lazio: Bizzarri; Konko, Biava, Dias, Zauri; Ledesma, Brocchi; Cissè, Hernanes (Matuzalem 85), Mauri (Lulic 79); Klose (Gonzalez 68)

Ref: Rocchi

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/sa1112/mil-laz.html

[RomaShield27]

lol, someone should tell these inbred lazie fucks that Klose is actually Polish:

Klose disassociates himself from banner
Updated Oct 18, 2011 12:36 PM ET – http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/seri ... nda-101811

Lazio's German international striker Miroslav Klose has disassociated himself from a fan banner linked to Nazi Germany. An Associated Press photo showed Lazio supporters holding up a banner that said ''Klose mit uns'' - ''Klose with us'' - during Sunday's derby with Roma, with the S's written in old German script in the style of the SS.

The phrase is a takeoff on an old military slogan, ''Gott mit uns'' - ''God with us'' - that was also used by the Nazis.

The ANSA news agency reports Klose saying, ''Football cannot be mixed with politics. Politics should remain outside the stadium.''

Klose scored a last-minute winner in Lazio's 2-1 win in the derby, giving him six goals in eight matches in all competitions with Lazio since transferring from Bayern Munich.

[Messinterista]

Lazio - Parma
Stadio Olimpico

A win could make them League leaders, but Lazio’s faltering home form will give Parma hope of an upset.

The Aquile are 3rd with 18 points. Juventus are a point ahead and Udinese have a marginally superior goal difference, but on Sunday Juve face a daunting visit to Napoli and Udinese are at home to defensively sound Siena, giving Lazio a chance of topping of the table if they can transfer their away form to the Stadio Olimpico.

Edy Reja’s side have won four of their five away fixtures thus far but only one out of four at home – the derby against Roma. Reja has a theory to explain the problem. “Why do we do better away from home? At the Olimpico we tend to meet teams who clam up, so it is difficult to find space.”

Franco Colomba debuted as Parma boss in the corresponding fixture last season, a 2-0 Lazio victory in April. Sergio Floccari was one of the goal scorers that day and is now a Parma player, but injury denies him the chance to strike back against the club that discarded him in the summer.

The Ducali start the weekend 12th with nine points and could end it anywhere from 5th to 16th depending on results. Curiously, they remain the only team in Serie A yet to draw a game this season. One suspects Colomba would be content with a share of the spoils on Sunday afternoon though.

Parma’s last success away to Lazio was a 2-1 win in September 2009. Francesco Guidolin was their Coach at the time, Valeri Bojinov and Nicola Amoruso were the scorers.

Other than Floccari, Abderrazzak Jadid is Parma’s only absentee, whereas Lazio are missing four first team regulars – Stefano Mauri, Francelino Matuzalem, Alvaro Gonzalez and Giuseppe Biava.

Keep an eye on: Senad Lulic (Lazio) – Lulic received a public dressing down from Reja for his dodgy defensive performances at left-back, but has scored two goals in three games since being moved to left midfield. The first, against Bologna a fortnight ago, was deflected and fortuitous, the second, in Cagliari last Sunday, was a glorious 25-yard curler.

Last five in Serie A: Lazio (W W W D W) Parma (W W L L W)

Last season: Lazio 2-0 Parma

Stat fact: Lazio have collected just five of their 18 points at the Olimpico and scored only four of their 15 goals there.
Lazio (probable): Marchetti; Konko, Diakite, Dias, Radu; Ledesma, Brocchi, Lulic; Hernanes; Cisse, Klose

Parma (probable): Mirante; Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli, Gobbi; Biabiany, Morrone, Galloppa, Modesto; Giovinco; Pelle

Ref: To follow...

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/sa1112/laz-par.html

[Messinterista]

Klose freezes sands of time

Coverage in Rome before Lazio’s trip to Napoli has centred on Miroslav Klose’s absence, something Rob Paton believes highlights his role in the capital.

The fact that Miroslav Klose undergoes a gruelling ice bath before and sometimes even after every game played gives a strong indication of the man’s character. The fact that, even as a less spectacular or controversial figure than Zlatan Ibrahimovic, when he gets injured it draws as much reaction as when the Swede does gives an indication as to the type of footballer he is.

Klose agonises through his pre-match ritual so as to ground tendinitis in his knees and allow for the continuous and fully active contribution he looks to make each game that, even at 33, has seen him become a crucial figure at Lazio.

Eight goals from his first 13 appearances with the Biancocelesti and nine full 90 minutes from 10 League appearances are testament to why he endures such a physical treatment, why injuries are still a surprise and why more than one German newspaper has already crowned him ‘King of Rome’. Importantly, along with his national form, his final two years at Bayern – just four goals from his last 45 League appearances – now sit as an anomaly.

For Germany and now again for his club, Klose is an attacking focal point. This week significantly also saw him convince Germany Coach Joachim Low to finish the year’s international fixture list with him in the first XI and Mario Gomez – the man seven years his junior who kept him out of the Bayern team circa 2009-2011 – on the bench.

Whilst Klose’s importance within the national set-up has always remained even when domestic form has faltered, both the player and the German Press have spent the week citing his move to the Italian capital as having had an extra influence on his most recent return to prominence. It is a return to note that across the board has seen reaction in awe of his age-defying performance.

Indeed, captaining the team against the Netherlands on Tuesday, Klose demonstrated not only that his scoring touch with Die Mannschaft remains, but that he can still turn provider will equal success. Either side of his well-directed headed goal came intelligent and perfectly-weighted assists for Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil respectively, whilst he also managed six more attempts on Roma ‘keeper Maarten Stekelenburg’s Dutch goal.

Pertinently, the Polish-born forward’s continuous running was also described as that of a 23-year-old, not a 33-year-old. His performance in Hamburg earned a standing ovation and left both teammates and Coaches rhapsodising of his continued influence within the national set-up, 10-and-a-half years after his international debut.

Klose is currently both his adopted country’s second most capped player with 113 appearances and their second highest goalscorer on 63 goals. Whilst Lothar Matthaus’ 150 caps may be out of reach, the Lazio man is thought to be eyeing Gerd Muller’s record of 68 goals. Indeed, German headlines ran with a big ‘five’ highlighted on front pages to show the goal in mind everyone is anticipating he will soon reach. Importantly, it is the challenge the move to Lazio represented that the player and the Press have alluded to as helping maintain German confidence in his abilities.

Indeed, the challenge is one he has risen to and now sees him pull in similar confidence in Rome. Il Messaggero describe him as a ‘robot created for playing football and scoring goals’ and whilst goals have played a part, the description also does him a disservice.

Klose’s six League strikes and two assists already account for half of Lazio’s goal-tally and have directly earned seven of the table-topping Aquile’s 21 League points so far. He has found the target with every other shot and scored every other time he has an effort on goal. Perhaps as noteworthy is that Klose is also the team’s attacking player with the highest average number of successful tackles won in every game and he is currently averaging one of the highest pagelle marks across the League this season for his performances.

The ice baths don’t do any hope of moving away from metaphors focusing just on his coolness in front of goal, but as this week has highlighted, to both his club and country it is clear that Klose is more than just a record-chasing goalscorer.

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/node/12957

[RomaShield27]

You have to say, Klose has been a revelation in Serie A. He's been on some form, not just for the lazie shit pigs, but also but also for Germany. He was inspired in their win over the Dutch. I think a lot of people, myself included, thought he was a slightly over the hill and a bit a of a gamble and he was coming to the 'retirement home' of Serie A and he wasn't going to do much. Its interesting to see its been the opposite, in that his move to Lazio has been an a spur on his most recent return to prominence for Germany.

[Messinterista]

Reja wants Europa progression

Lazio tactician Edy Reja has demanded a victory in Romania during Thursday’s Europa League clash with FC Vaslui.

The Biancocelesti have stuttered in Group D, but the Coach has made it clear that he wants a place in the knock-out stages of the competition.

“We want to go forward in the Europa League and we’ll therefore do all that we can to win,” he said. “We don’t have any alternatives.

“I want a great performance out there from Lazio. I want 100 per cent from everyone.”

The Italian giants are third in their group, four points behind leaders Sporting and level with Vaslui – a side who collected a 2-2 draw in Rome earlier this season.

“In the home game we complicated our lives a little,” Reja added. “But we know them better now and we have to be clever to exploit their weaknesses.”

With the January transfer window now just a month away, the tactician was unsurprisingly asked whether he expected the club to take advantage of the opportunity.

“We’ll evaluate the transfer market whether we progress in the Europa League or whether we go out,” he added.

“I’ll speak with the club and we’ll make a decision together. If we get the chance to improve the squad then we’ll make a few alterations.”

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/node/13377

[Messinterista]

Mature Lazio impress Reja

Lazio boss Edy Reja has praised his side for the way they professionally disposed of Novara on Monday night.

The Biancocelesti consolidated fourth in Serie A by collecting a 3-0 win over the struggling minnows at the Olimpico.

Tommaso Rocchi scored twice and Giuseppe Biava got the other as the capital club moved to within four points of Juventus, two behind Milan and Udinese.

“It was a test of our maturity and I asked my players to perform with the right temperament,” the tactician noted.

“This win was fundamental to get back to breathing the air near the top of the table.”

Rocchi’s two goals rewarded Reja with the decision to start the Italian instead of the struggling Djibril Cisse – who hasn’t scored in Serie A since their first game of the season at Milan.

“Cisse? Everyone is a first team player here,” the former Napoli boss continued. “I was just disappointed that he hit the post.

“If this level of sacrifice is maintained then I will always have numerous options open to me. When you have a squad like I have then it is easy to work.”

Lazio are away to Lecce next weekend.

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/node/13525

[red]

Lazio should get Cisse back in the team.

Not that I particularly rate Cisse, but he was doing a pretty decent job of working the channels and moving the defence around - allowing Klose to just be a poacher.

When Rocchi and Klose play together, Rocchi wants to spend most of his time as the central, fixed striker, so Klose is pulling wide and trying to link the play up, which is clearly a waste of his ability.

[RomaShield27]

Cisse is gack. The fact that the Burini cnuts have to rely on such a spanner sums up how shit they really is.

[red]

Meh.

Pato is a much better player than Robinho, but Ibrahimovic and Pato don't work well together and Milan miss Robinho's movement when he doesn't play.

Cisse may not be any good, but his style compliments Klose nicely.

[RomaShield27]

Yeh I hear what your saying, and I agree. He's still a cocklord, though.

[RomaShield27]

Fascinating story this, even for a dirty Laziale. The way he died – described at the end – is quite comical, the kind of thing you'd expect in a film, and quite tragic.


1970s Month: Death in the Afternoon
May 27, 2011 // http://equaliserfootball.com/2011/05/27 ... afternoon/

by Rocco Cammisola

Lazio won their first league title – Scudetto – in 1974, a team led by Tommaso Maestrelli beat Juventus to the title by just two points. On the pitch they played a high paced, attacking style that has seen certain members of the squad remembered as all-time legends. However, off the pitch they were an unruly bunch of prickly characters who failed to observe any sort of social standards.

English football fans may remember their encounters with Arsenal and, in particular, Ipswich in the 1973 UEFA Cup. Ipswich had wrapped the first leg up thanks to four Trevor Whymark goals before the angered Italians threw themselves into challenges, injuring three Ipswich players. It goes without saying that the return leg in Rome did not pass without incident, but Ipswich prevailed nonetheless.

UEFA reacted to these outrageous shenanigans by doling out a three-year ban for all European competitions, but was later reduced to just one season on appeal. Not that it mattered though; Lazio would miss out on the European Cup and wouldn’t reach similar heights for almost thirty years.

John Foot aptly described them as “a team of bad boys, self-declared fascists and gun-toting parachute enthusiasts. Lazio were armed and dangerous.” This was a team that thought itself so far above the law that members of the squad carried guns with them wherever they went – occasionally shooting them purely for the purposes of entertainment. This macho, hostile atmosphere wasn’t conducive to squad harmony and the factions in the squad hated and squabbled with each other so fiercely that the team prepared in two separate dressing rooms.

One member of the side who bucked the trend, for the most part at least, was Luciano Re Cecconi. He was the son of a farmer, born just outside Milan in December 1948. He began his footballing career at Pro Patria where he won a few Serie C titles before moving on to Foggia. At the Apulian side he won a Serie B title under coach Tommaso Maestrelli, and it was Maestrelli who brought Re Cecconi to Lazio in 1972.

Re Cecconi was a mediano – box to box midfielder – who made sure not to go against any of the clichés which typically apply to the role. He really did have iron lungs, a fantastic engine on him, covered every blade of grass and popped up late in the box for the odd goal as well.

Re Cecconi had an amazing ability to carry the ball – and his team mates – from one penalty area to the other and then, most importantly, making the correct decision when he arrived. He made one such run against Como in May 1976, inspired a two goal comeback and spared Lazio from relegation to Serie B.

“Every Lazio mediano, sooner or later, has to be compared to him [Re Cecconi]. He was the most generous, the most loved and, sadly, the most unlucky.” (Cristian Ledesma, Lazio vice-captain)

On the 18th January 1977, Re Cecconi, together with Pietro Ghedin, was accompanying a friend to a jewellers in Rome. Re Cecconi and Ghedin hung back while their friend was allowed in to the store; in the meantime Luciano explained what they were about to do to his friend. Once the door was open they followed their friend in and shouted “Hands in the air, This is a stick up!”

Re Cecconi had his face covered and his hands in his coat pocket, intimating the existence of a weapon. The jeweller, Bruno Tabochini, had been burgled recently and was prepared for such an event. Tabochini pulled out a pistol of his own. Ghedin gave up the ghost and relented when he saw the barrel of the gun pointing his way, wielded by the clammy hands of the jeweller. Luciano persisted, and the trigger was pulled.

Re Cecconi fell to the floor, but Pietro Ghedin thought that it was part of the joke. It was only when he saw blood oozing from his torso that he realised the seriousness of the situation. An ambulance was called and he was rushed to San Giacomo. It was too late though, and he died just half an hour later.

Tabocchini was arrested, but was never convicted of the crime. Luciano died aged 28, leaving behind a wife and two sons – one of whom was, until recently, haunted by his father’s death. Lazio failed to win any more major honours for over twenty years. His final words have been morbidly immortalised in the history of SS Lazio: “It’s a joke, it’s just a joke.”

Read more of Rocco’s truly excellent work on his blog, The Football Express, and follow him on Twitter @rcammisola.

[taz]

Premiershit side QPR have confirmed the arrival of Djibril Cisse from Italian outfit Lazio. “He’ll score 10 to 15 goals in England,” says Edy Reja.

The French international is understood to have cost the Loftus Road side €5m – roughly the same figure that Lazio handed to Panathinaikos in the summer for him.

Cisse, 30, has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year contract with the English club.

“QPR have a hugely ambitious project,” Cisse told the club’s website this afternoon.

“When I talked to manager Mark Hughes, he spoke highly of the club and where he wants to take it over the next few years.

“He wanted to sign me at Manchester City and now I am finally here with him at QPR. He wants to achieve big things here – that was all I needed to hear from him.”

Meanwhile, Lazio boss Reja expects the former Liverfekkin'wankscum and Auxerre man to start scoring again in a different League.

“I had an extraordinary relationship with him,” the Italian noted. “He’ll find more space in England than he did here in Italy.

“He’ll score 10 to 15 goals in England. He’ll have six months to try to make it into France’s Euro 2012 squad.”

[RomaShield27]

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/seri ... ly-020512L

[Messinterista]

Reja: 'Tardini is Lazio crossroads'

Edy Reja believes today’s trip to Parma is “the crossroads for Lazio’s ambitions” this season, as they continue to push for a Champions League spot.

The Biancocelesti lost two on the bounce this month, but retained third place, and are now three points clear of Napoli and Udinese.

“The match with Parma will be the crossroads for Lazio’s ambitions,” declared the Coach.

“Considering the fixture list and the positions in the table, this game has fundamental importance for us. We cannot afford to slip up right now.

“At the same time, Parma’s players are ready to give the game of their lives to drag themselves out of the relegation battle. Roberto Donadoni is a good tactician, who is well-prepared and humble despite his extraordinary career as a player.”

Lazio have struggled through an injury crisis for most of the campaign, and are still without Miroslav Klose, but Reja finally had some good news.

“I should be able to field my first choice defence. Despite coming from a poor run of results, the team is not worried at all. I still haven’t decided whether to use a one-striker system or a diamond midfield. I still have to evaluate it.

“I have to consider whether Alvaro Gonzalez, Cristian Ledesma and Hernanes need to rest, as they have played a lot this season. In attack I can choose from Tommaso Rocchi, Emiliano Alfaro and Libor Kozak. It’s been like this all year, as so few times I’ve had a full squad to choose from.”

Lazio, Napoli and Udinese are within a three-point radius, but Reja believes the race for third is still wide open.

“As there will be many head-to-head clashes, I think the trailing sides can also get back into the running. Clearly we are more aware of our strength than we were last season, so we must at all costs find the right physical and psychological energy to keep going.

“We absolutely do not want to let this chance slip away again, the way we did last year. I expect Parma to play prudently at first, then raise the tempo and put more of the ball down the flanks.”

Lazio squad: Berardi, Bizzarri, Marchetti; Biava, Dias, Radu, Garrido, Konko, Scaloni; Brocchi, Cana, Candreva, Gonzalez, Hernanes, Ledesma, Matuzalem, Mauri; Kozak, Rocchi, Alfaro

Source: http://www.football-italia.net/17228/re ... crossroads

[taz]

It is now official – Brazilian midfielder Ederson has signed a contract with Italian club Lazio.

The 26-year-old has joined the Stadio Olimpico outfit on a Bosman free transfer after his contract at French side Lyon expired.

The former Nice man, full name Ederson Honorato Campos, has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the capital side.

It is believed that he will earn €1.6m a season in Rome.

[Rovert36]

[RomaShield27]

Could well be. If they get a big offer for Hernanes they could sell. He can bit a bit inconsistent, though, so not sure. They have been tracking that Ederson for a good while, too, I remember they were linked to him last summer as well.