More benches, more stats and a statue

14/10
Remember the benches? Lazio announced that the figure (60.000) was not right: in truth they seem to pay 500 euros per game so the total amount of money at the end of the season should be between 10 and 15,000 euros.

Sunday will be a special day for one more reason. Those of you who have attended a game at the Olimpico on the Distinti Nord or the Tribuna Tevere or either the Distinti Est sections, will have spotted (maybe) a golden point in the sky. Of course it wasn’t a spaceship, but a statue of the Virgin Mary (in Italian it's called "la Madonnina"). That statue has been there since December 8th 1953 and it was built as a vote: if the bombs wouldn’t damage Rome too much, the statue would be erected. And that’s what happened back then, until on Monday night some wind storms knocked it down. Thus, Lazio v Samp will be the first football match to be played without the golden statue looking upon the stadium. The last game to be played without it was Lazio v Spal on December 6th 1953: the Eagles won the match 2-1.

Lazio and Sampdoria are the most well behaved teams in the League. Lazio have suffered 160 fouls so far, while Samp have suffered only one less (159). Roma is well behind on the 3rd place, having suffered 134. Thus, Lazio and Samp play very clean football, but Ballardini’s side has won only 82 of 115 tackles. Only Siena has done worst in the entire Serie A. C’mon guys, you need some energy and more determination!

Muslera publicly thanked Lazio for what the team did for him in these two years. Fernando got the chance to play against Argentina in a decisive tiebreaker but his team incredibly lost a game that both teams, to be honest, never seemed to have the will to win. Nando played normally, and Bolatti’s goal definitely wasn’t his fault.

Lotito insisted: “Ballardini was right to rule Pandev out. If he said he didn’t want to play for Lazio anymore, then be it”.

Delio Rossi: “I won the Cup in May, but I felt already as a former coach. My decision had been taken a lot of time before that game”.

More names from Brazil, which definitely seems the right place for Lazio’s transfer market. Rever (Gremio) has been rated between 5 and 6 million euros. Three more names are: Filho from Portuguesa, who is 25 and costs around 2 million euros; Paulo Henrique, who is 20 and is impressing in Egypt at the Under-20 World Cup (but other European teams have set their eyes on the guy); and Magrao (Gremio) who is a 23 years old midfielder and would cost 3 million euros.



15/10

Attilio Lombardo played for both Lazio and Sampdoria and in an interview said: “When it’s Lazio v Samp, I always suffer more than expected. I’m so proud of being part of Lazio’s history”.

Former Inter Milan player Alvaro Recoba claimed that 16-years old Gonzalo Barreto will be a big hit for Lazio. “He’s only 16 at the moment but Lazio was very able to take him at this time and age, especially because Chelsea and Real Madrid were also interested. I myself tried to take him to Inter Milan but I’m a player, not an agent”.

Del Nero injured while training: he’ll be out for one month after a strain in his left thigh took him out of contention in Thursday's training.

On Sunday we still don’t know which formation Ballardini will field. He tried a 4-3-1-2 with Matuzalem behind the two main strikers, Rocchi and Zarate, but also a 4-3-2-1 with Foggia behind the lone striker could be another option. In any case, nothing would prevent the coach to pitch a 4-4-2 formation (as against Levski and Fiorentina) with Foggia on the right flank in midfield, Mauri on the left and Baronio and Matuzalem in the middle, even if Baronio today could not train properly. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. At the back, Siviglia and Cribari should be the two central defenders. Scaloni (bone), Makinwa (muscle strain), Inzaghi (right thigh) and Del Nero (left thigh) are all out.

Today at 12 pm Rome’s mayor Gianni Alemanno awarded the whole Lazio squad for winning the Italian Cup and the Super Cup at the Capitolium. Yes, it was a bit late (quite normal in Italy), but you can relive those moments thanks to our Alessandro Pizzuti and his photo-gallery.
http://www.lalaziosiamonoi.it/?action=read&idnotizia=7911

Lotito, for the occasion, wanted to highlight how Lazio represents fully Rome’s thousand-year strength. He also claimed that “if he wanted, Rossi could have come”, claiming that of course that ceremony wasn’t precluded to anyone of the winners. Maybe (and this is only my thought) he could have invited the former coach! He had invited Goran Pandev, indeed, but the Macedonian player didn’t join the party. A moved Maurizio Manzini, the famous team manager, was rewarded as well. Nine years had passed since last time Lazio had joined a special ceremony at the Capitolium. In the town hall, 20 council advisors are Lazio fans.

River Plate’s defender Cabral (24 years old) could join Lazio in January, but at the moment it's just a rumour. The only real link is his agent, Fernando Hidalgo, who in the past set up several deals with Lazio. Also, River Plate is actually having another very poor tournament and should be willing to cash in some money before the Clausura Tournament starts at the beginning of 2010.