La Derby della Capitale Discussion Thread

[McLewis]

2nd only in importance to the CL final this weekend, this is a massively anticipated game for both the city of Rome and all of Italy. I have another version of this thread in the Roma section, but let's opening it up for general discussion.

A few fun facts:

- This will be the 172nd derby with Roma leading in all-times wins 63 to Lazio's 47. There have been 61 draws.

- Roma have outscored Lazio 210 goals to 168.

- Lazio have won the most derbies in a single season with 4 in the 97-98 season while Roma's Vincenzo Montella still holds the record for most goals scored in a single derby match with 4 goals back in the 5-1 mauling in 2002.

- Only the 3rd time have clubs from the same city have met in the Coppa Italia final with Juventus beating Torino back in the 1938 final and Milan topping Inter in the 1977 final.

- Totti leads in all-time derby appearances with 28 (this will be 29) and is also joint Roma top scorer against them along with Marco Delvecchio and Dino da Costa with 9 goals in the league. He has never scored against Lazio in a cup match, which is a bit shocking.

- Lazio are unbeaten in the derby since March 2011, winning the last 3 with a draw as the 4th result.

As for squad news:

Roma welcome back Daniele De Rossi, Marquinhos, Federico Balzaretti and Francesco Totti (suspened for Napoli win) to the squad. Maarten Stekelenburg is close to Fulham and is still injured so Bogdan Lobont is expect to start in goal. There's been no news on how Aurelio Andreazzoli will set up his team however. We Roma fans are hoping for the 4-2-3-1 that beat Napoli.

As for Lazio, the biggest news with them is the fitness of Hernanes, who has been training with the squad since Monday or Tuesday, but is still not considered 100%. 50/50 whether Petkovic plays him or not. I hope he doesn't, but I would not be surprised if he does. Michael Ciani and Ogenyi Onazi remain the only other doubts after Stefan Radu and Bruno Pereirinha passed fit after missing the Cagliari loss.

Just hoping for a wonderful match without any of the ugliness that this derby normally attracts. Conversely, I'm fully expecting that it's going to get vicious an ugly with so much on the line. I want that silver star on our shirts next season, but I'd like us to win this with class. GET IN THERE ROMA

[Eivindo]

De rossi getting a red

[RealGunner]

Roma

[McAgger]

Cmon Roma

[Zealous]

Klose

Should be a great game. Will watch for sure.

[Lupi]

9

[RED]

Anything but a Lazio win thank you very much.

[Kaladin]

Get in there Roma

OT: dat sig RED

[RED]

Get in there Roma

OT: dat sig RED

[Lupi]

incredibly nervous about the game , specially after watching CL final

[Juveman17]

It's time for Roma to get a chance in the Europa League. I'm eager to see how this American marketing expands and the idea of Rome as a global brand.

[dostoevsky]

A dire first half interrupted by constant cynical play, though I felt that Orsato kept his head well and punished the fouls he should have. The match exploded into life in the final half an hour as both sides began to tire and both attacks started to break through, Lazio finding space in behind the fullbacks and Roma taking advantage of Ledesma's injury in the centre to push through the middle on the break. Lazio were deserved winners in the end, with Candreva in particular standing out as the man of the match in my eyes. I'm quite disappointed but I felt that the team that played the better match triumphed, it was a very subdued performance from Roma. I felt that the presence of Pjanic was missed to add greater composure on the ball. Roma tried to be too direct and suffered from an inability to hem the game into Lazio's half, too often choosing to stand off Lazio's midfield. Selfishness summed up Roma's match with poor decision making in attack costing Roma. I felt sorry for Balzaretti at the end of the match, he looked absolutely devastated with the loss, one of his last opportunities to win something in his career likely.

I have one major complaint though, it was unbelievable from Orsato that Onazi was able to make 10 fouls throughout the match and yet was never yellow carded. Absolutely shocking performance from the youngster, I was amazed that Petkovic left him in for the entire match, it was one of the most invisible performances I've seen in central midfield for a long time, utterly ineffective.

[Lupi]

Roma need a big name as their manager , a name even bigger than Baldini who wont get influenced and threatened by fans and even by management , stay on the right decision he makes and control the team completely , even if that mean he need to sell or bench players like DDR , I think Baldini and pallotta should identify what they want , make a decision and stick with it , its not position for undecided teenage girls !

[McLewis]

The ultimate advert the saying "Talent isn't everything", I feel. Everyone knows how talented this young Roma side is, but Lazio were older and more experienced. That's what won them a cup today. They know how to grind out results like this and they did just that. They rode their luck and took their chance so I can't complain about that.

What I will complain about is the amount of chances we failed to put away. Once again.

Lobont did not fail us and neither did our defense (for once) nor did the midfield ( to an extent). It was those 4 attackers...so potent all season, but not when we needed them the most. It's certainly a romantic notion (as is often the case with a romantic team like Roma), but also oh so tragic (as is often again the case with Roma).....this club is the football equivalent of a Greek tragedy set on replay. I can't stop watching them and hoping for more, but we get the same each time.

The cycle will be broken eventually......heavy emphasis on "eventually."

[Juveman17]

Roma needs time and unfortunately that time is not on the side of Francesco Totti

[McLewis]

Time is not on the side of any Roma coach that isn't named Capello, Spaletti or Zeman tbh

The fans and media are simply too fickle for that.

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