Tag Archives: Italian Fantasy Football

Game on in the battle for the gloves at Lazio as Pepe Reina provides rare challenge to Thomas Strakosha

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

Lazio’s priority in the summer transfer window was clear: to strengthen the overall depth of the squad. 

With the additions of Andreas Pereira, Vedat Muriqi, Mohamed Fares, Gonzalo Escalante, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and Wesley Hoedt, coach Simone Inzaghi was handed new options across the park.

But few expected that the signing to make arguably the biggest impact of all come December would be Pepe Reina.

The veteran’s arrival was low key, as you might expect for a 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper. Continue reading →

Luis Alberto’s barren run offers Andreas Pereira chance to make his mark at Lazio

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

It’s time to address the elephant in the room: something isn’t quite right with Luis Alberto this season.

After Ciro Immobile, the Spaniard has been the most influential player for Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio in recent years.

His output has been phenomenal since he was moved into a central role in 2017/18 following a difficult debut season on the wing.

Since then, he’s scored 26 goals and provided 42 assists in 136 games for the Roman club, ranking him among European football’s most efficient creative midfielders in that period. Continue reading →

Lazio’s Lulic succession plan could finally be solved by Fares

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

The international break can often be a time of rest and recuperation for Serie A clubs. Not for Lazio.

Outside the gates of Formello, the investigation into the club’s handling of its Covid-19 testing continues to attract endless debate and speculation.

Inside, Luis Alberto’s public complaints about the club buying an aeroplane while not fully paying their players angered staff and fans alike.

On the pitch, Ciro Immobile finally returned to availability after eventually testing negative for the coronavirus, but the celebratory mood was soon dampened when the Serbian FA announced that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic picked up the virus on international duty. Continue reading →

How stoppage-time killer Caicedo has made Lazio comeback kings of Europe

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

The finale of Lazio’s Serie A clash with Juventus last weekend was about as Hollywood as football gets. 

With the Roman club trailing 1-0 and a matter of seconds left on the clock, coach Simone Inzaghi grabbed Adam Marusic to turn him upfield, just as the wing-back was about to send a throw-in into his own half that would’ve ended the game.

The throw reached Joaquin Correa, who danced his way through two Juve defenders, dribbled past another and found Felipe Caicedo with a short pass.

From that moment, there was no doubt what would happen next; the Ecuadorian, with his back to goal, swivelled and curled a low shot into the bottom corner with the last kick of the game. Continue reading →

Success or failure? Lazio’s transfer business reviewed

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

“False promises and mediocrity. The transfer market is the usual mess.”

The ‘Lazio Ultras’ group made their feelings quite clear when they hung a banner with these words over a motorway bridge in September.

It reflected a general frustration among the capital club’s fans about a summer transfer window that had promised much but delivered little.

Things did get a little better when three more players arrived before the deadline, but it still did little to convince many fans that Lazio’s issues have been resolved.

FALSE DAWNS AND GAPING HOLES Continue reading →

Lazio reinforcements finally arrive to inject much-needed impetus

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

At times on Wednesday evening, it was hard not to feel like you were experiencing extreme déjà vu.

Atalanta raced to a 3-0 halt time lead against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, only for the determined hosts to pull one back and spark hopes of an unlikely comeback.

Is this ringing a bell? That will be because Lazio recovered from three goals down to draw 3-3 in this fixture last season – but there were no heroics this time, as Atalanta struck a fourth to come away with a comfortable win.

Continue reading →

Lazio season preview: Will the Aquile fly again in 2020/21?

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

It’s time to go again already? Well yes, and Lazio are actually arriving late to the party.

Simone Inzaghi’s men are back in action on Saturday when they hop across the Mediterranean to Sardinia to take on a Cagliari side led by former Roma boss Eusebio Di Francesco.

Lazio’s delay in getting underway was down to the fact that their week one fixture with Atalanta was postponed by 10 days; La Dea were allowed some extra preparation time due to their late 2019/20 finish on Champions League duties.

Where were we?

Lazio’s 2019/20 campaign was a story of two parts: pre-coronavirus and post-coronavirus. Continue reading →

Lazio’s 2019/20 end of season report card

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

What a year it’s been for Lazio. The 2019/20 season will never be forgotten due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but for Aquile fans a whirlwind league campaign and long-awaited return to the Champions League will stick in the memory too.

Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to grade the efforts of the capital club.

The Serie A campaign: A-

A bitterly disappointing season finale is still fresh in the memory. Lazio were a shadow of their former selves when they returned from the three-month break and fell from one point off the Serie A summit to fourth place. Continue reading →

Record-breaking Lazio burst back into life in time for the final act

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

What a difference a win can make. You could almost feel the sighs of relief breezing through your window on Thursday night in Rome, as a 2-1 victory for Lazio over Cagliari secured a top four finish.

Last week, I noted the improvements seen in the 0-0 draw against Udinese. The display during the 2-1 defeat to Juventus that followed was also encouraging despite the result, considering the ludicrous list of absences facing Simone Inzaghi.

Regardless, Lazio went into the clash with the Sardinians without a win in five matches.

Some of the more pessimistic supporters were even starting to glance over their shoulder towards Roma, creeping up behind them in fifth. Continue reading →

No defence for Lazio defence after Lecce horror show

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1556

Tuesday night’s defeat in Lecce was a startling wake-up call to the scale of Lazio’s decline since football restarted. 

Defeats to Atalanta and Milan had sandwiched comeback wins against Fiorentina and Torino ahead of the capital club’s trip to the deep south of Italy.

There were already plenty of concerns over the team’s performances before they travelled to Puglia, but there were also convenient ways of excusing the two previous losses.

The trip to Atalanta, a 3-2 defeat, was Lazio’s first game back, while the hosts had already got a game under their belt. Continue reading →