On Sunday afternoon, Lazio travel to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to face Genoa in Week Three of Serie A action.
The host team will be looking to earn their first three points of the season, having lost their season opener 2 – 1 to Napoli and ending their most recent match against Fiorentina in a goalless draw. Lazio has fared a bit better this season – having earned four points with one loss and one win – and will angling to pick up the away win.
Although, do not be fooled by current statistics: the win won’t come easy for I Biancocelesti. While it may be the first meeting between the two teams for this year, Lazio lost both matches to Genoa during the 2013/14 season. Both games ended 2 – 0 in I Rossoblu’s favour, despite Lazio finishing five spots over all above Genoa.
Lazio have also been having public problems with recent ongoing issues surrounding club owner Claudio Lotito. In addition to having to answer to fans’ frustrations on team performance, Lotito was in a recent public war – of – words with Juventus’ General Director, Giuseppe Marotta. Marotta accused Lotito of welding too much power, calling the Lazio owner “dangerous.”
But it hasn’t been all bad press for the Roman side.
Striker Miroslav Klose was the recent recipient of the “Golden Victoria” award, presented to him by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While the award was to recognize his contributions to the German National Team, Klose’s contributions to Lazio have not gone unnoticed; he has scored 35 goals for the Roman team since joining in 2011.
With the positive forces such as Klose, Lazio will be going into the match with an optimistic mindset.
Genoa, on the other hand, goes into the match with one suspension; Facundo Sebastian Roncaglia will miss the game after earning two yellow cards against Fiorentina. Also missing from the match will be right winger Ioannis Fetfatzidis and left back Luca Antonini, both out with injuries.
Lazio also has their own fair share of injury, including keeper Federico Marchetti , left back Stefan Radu, central midfielders Alvaro Gonzales and Danilo Cataldi, and attacking midfielder Ederson.
Expected Starting XIs
Genoa: Perin; De Maio, Burdisso, Marchese; Antonelli, Edenilson, Sturaro, Bertolacci; Pinilla, Perotti, Kucka
Lazio: Berisha; de Vrij, Braafheid, Basta, Gentiletti; Parolo, Lulic, Biglia; Djordjevic, Keita, Candreva
