Roma-Lazio, how Ranieri and Baroni prepare for the night derby

The anticipation is growing for Roma-Lazio, which will be played Sunday 5 January at 8.45pm at the Olympic Stadium. The Capital derby had not been played at night for six years (an evening derby had not been played for three). The decision to play the match during the day had been made for reasons of public order against the risk of accidents and tensions outside the stadium, now the shared choice between the prefect, police commissioner and provincial commanders of the Carabinieri and the financial police, not to ask for the Rome-Lazio derby to be scheduled at times other than the evening represents, underlines the Rome police headquarters in a note, “an opportunity for sports clubs and their respective fans to show signs of maturity in which even the ultras’ logics find colorful and folkloristic spaces for expression within a framework of legality“.

The outcome is difficult to predict

The possible outcome of the match is difficult to predict, as often happens. Lazio’s fifteen point lead in the standings they seem not to have an impact on the odds of Planetwin365 and bet365, where the Giallorossi success is slightly ahead at 2.50 on the 2.96 of the 2 mark, with the draw on the board at 3.05.

“Derbies are all unpredictable, getting a prediction right is a bit like winning the lotteryin terms of probability, especially for the Roman derby which goes beyond the technical preparation, the physical form or the particular moment that one or the other team experiences”, he declared to Adnkronos Ottavio Bianchiformer Roma coach. “The emotional factor is too important, the Roman derby is special, felt by the city, by the fans and by the players themselves. I personally remember how much more interested in winning the derby than the position in the standings.”

Luigi Martiniformer Biancoceleste player and winner of the first Scudetto in 1973-74, thinks that Lazio has a better chance of winning. “Lazio seems to have found the right pace now. Apart from the match against Inter they have put everyone in difficulty – he declared to Adnkronos – but the derby is a match in itself, different from all the others. Lazio certainly starts as favourites. Marco Baroni was very good at motivating the players, I think this team can reach the top five in the standings.” Then on Roma: “The team was built poorly in the summer, Ranieri doesn’t have the magic wand“.

Claudio Ranieri: “The ranking doesn’t matter, everything is reset”

The Roma coach, Claudio Ranieri, who won four out of four Capital derbies (one in the Italian Cup) in his Giallorossi past. “The derby is the derby. Both teams want to win. We have all experienced other types of derby – he declared – but The ranking doesn’t matter, everything is reset. We live with the same desire to do well, agitation is not a good motivation“. “I went to the Curva Sud, – he remembers – it was three quarters Roma and one quarter Lazio. Everyone was waiting for Dante, the leader, and then the choruses began. There were taunts. December made us understand that we are a team that has managed to regroup, we have defects but we are working to eliminate them. We are not 100% in this respect but we have put the ship underway. I don’t know where we can get to, I have always promised only work and sacrifice.” “Being a fan – he added – the derby represents the derby, everything a fan can think of. This is the key match, which one feels even more. The rankings are clear, Lazio had a stratospheric first round and are playing well, they are a very fearsome team. The derby is the derby and always makes history in itself. Will my derby experience count? I don’t think it’s crucial. Lazio is on autopilot. Baroni will feel the beauty of the derby as a coach“.

On the training Ranieri explained: “Everyone recovered except Literate because he has a fever, we’ll see how he feels tomorrow. Pellegrini? I feel a strong feeling with him. He doesn’t play for a psychological reason because technically he is one of the best midfielders in Europe. Those who have them should hold on to them. The fans suffer and I have to keep this aspect in mind. Lorenzo takes them all on himself and this is his sin, he takes on all his problems and instead he should play naturally. Only in this way can he return to the player he is. He carries boulders with him and it’s not easy to play like that. If the public favorite makes a mistake, nothing happens, but if he makes half a mistake he is immediately burdened with negativity and responsibility. When it’s clear I’ll put it on the field. At San Siro he was about to score.” “If I’m thinking about something particular about the bands? – he continued – Lazio have found the key to the problem, they are good on the outside and centrally. I take all their strengths into consideration and Baroni will do the same with us.”

Marco Baroni: “We live for these matches”

“You live for these matches. They are wonderful, there is all the passion in them. Not only me, but also the team, we must all approach the match with all the joy that a challenge like this brings”, said Lazio coach Marco Barons. “Does Lazio arrive as favourites? A premise: we play this match on Sunday, not two months ago. In the last 5 matches the teams have scored the same points. Since Ranieri has been here, Roma have scored double. Balanced, dangerous challenge, which makes it even more beautiful“, explained the Biancoceleste coach who wants “a team that must never lose its character, when you do that you lose something. We know very well how dangerous the match is, but we have to play as Lazio. Never get lost.”

“Temperature of the locker room on a psychological level? Everyone prepares for these matches together. Inside this match there is all the passion of the city, of the two fans. When you live with passion it’s nice, I want the team to approach the match with joy“, added Baroni who underlines how the wait for the derby is different from any other. “As if to say that Christmas is a day like any other, for me it isn’t. Nor will the derby be. It will be the match where we will need desire, determination, everything we have always put on the field. It’s our nature. The past? Now there’s a lot of Lazio, I want to see the present. The experiences I carry with me help me, but I look ahead. There is a great opportunity. One club, one fan base… we will be away from home, but we are never away from home thanks to the support of the fans.”

At the stadium

He is expected among the celebrities present at the Olympic stadium Mattia Brigsinger and Biancoceleste fan. “I hope to see a good performance from Lazio, especially because it is a big match and it is important for us to continue on a positive path. I expect an important performance from the players who this year have been designated to carry themselves a little on the back the whole team with many young additions. I hope the experience of some will be important for the match”, the artist told Adnkronos.