On the one hand, Lazio, without its king, Immobile; on the other, Roma, with their blank strikers, Abraham who hasn’t scored in the league since the match against Empoli on 4 February and with Belotti who is still without a draw in this tournament. There is Dybala and it is his first Roman derby and, waiting for the others to wake up, he is Mourinho’s certainty. José has also thought of an alternative solution in attack (as with Juve), the one that Sarri is instead forced to pursue, given the forced absence of Ciro (i.e. the false centre-forward, Felipe Anderson), in order not to give references to the two centre-backs of Lazio, exploiting the qualities and movements of the Argentine and the insertions of attacking midfielders, Pellegrini above all. Abraham played only in the final minutes in San Sebastian on Thursday and will be ready today anyway, perhaps to repeat last year’s performance, which saw him protagonist with a brace. The doubt is right here: a real centre-forward or another attacking midfielder? Wijnaldum, who – given Matic’s less than perfect conditions – was also tested yesterday alongside Cristante or El Shaarawy, whom Mou often uses as a full-back outside? We’ll see: false nine is just one option. José just has to understand this morning how Matic will be, still debilitated. In case of the Serbian’s absence, the Dutchman will be in the midfield alongside Cristante. Sarri’s only doubt, however, is linked to Lazzari, who timidly undermines Hysaj. The rest is obvious, with Cataldi replacing the disqualified Vecino and Luis Alberto managing the game horizontally and vertically to trigger Felipe and Zaccagni. There isn’t a favourite: in the standings they are divided by just two points, and both come from two demanding European away games. The absence of Immobile and Vecino weigh heavily, while in Rome there is a strong lack of Mourinho on the bench, he who thought of turning him on in the derby with some “provocative” statements.
THE OBJECTIVES
The derby is a match that both want to win, with Roma having a few more obligations, because in the event of a defeat they would be late in the Champions League race and with a disadvantage (by six virtual points) in light of the defeat in the first leg. Then there are the two captains: Pellegrini has deducted the points and is free, if he wishes, to play without head protection; Milinkovic is there – disqualified in the first leg – but he needs to light up, in what could perhaps be his last derby, a match that saw him as a protagonist, between the championship and the Italian Cup, with three goals, against Lorenzo’s two , heel in his first derby, free-kick last season. Mourinho needs to win but we will hardly see a Roma aggressive from the first minute, it’s not in his DNA. It will just have to be itself. Sarri, on the other hand, could opt for a Napoli-style team, ready to block Roma’s wingers (Marusic on Spinazzola and Hysaj on Zalewski, with Karsdorp having nose surgery) and restart. The Lazio coach is well aware that Mou is just waiting to be able to counterplay and, as in the first leg, it will be difficult for him to take possession. After all, it’s a final and a mistake is enough (like Ibañez in the first leg), an episode to write a different story from what we imagine. Lazio and Roma will only have to show their best side: the defence. Apart from Naples (they have only conceded sixteen goals), Sarri and Mou have the best in the league, 19 against 21 goals conceded. After all, why show yourself as you are not? The derby will still be fascinating.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
