Coppa: Lazio – Inter

By: salvatore | April 16th, 2008

It’s Coppa Italia time again, and Lazio are off to Milan today to face Inter Buenos Aires’ B-Team. Aside from the trophy itself, there is also a spot in Europe on the line, so you can bet the necessary motivation will be there. The trouble is that we’re playing in Milan.

Put simply, the San Siro is about as welcoming to us as a Red Roofs Inn in Atlanta (stay there only if you want to be treated like a turd with the plague. Trust me, it’s awful). Seriously, we’re as lucky there as a blindfolded golfer.

That said, we are playing the second string Argentinians today, and we have the positive performance against Inter a few weeks back to build on. They key will be to get home for the second leg in a good position. We can take them at home, but not if we’re down a bunch of goals on aggregate. So, as long as we don’t lose today, we’re ok.

Forza

Delio’s Anti-Inter plan is likely going to involve the ever-popular trident attack, with Pandev playing behind Rolando Whitey and Balboa. The midfield will certainly see Dabo and Ledesma, the question mark though is who will take up the other spot? Will it be Mutareli, who played well and scored against Siena this weekend? Or will it be Behrami? Training sessions seem to indicate that Delio is going to go with Mofo Mutarelli, and put Behrami at the fullback position. I have no problem with this on the surface, but it means that Lorenzo De Silvestri is not going to start…and that I frown on. Heavily.

Frown.

Unsurprisingly, Nonno Ballotta will also be back between the sticks following Muslera’s gift to Siena on Sunday. The youngster has been the one to get the team to this point in the Coppa, and he probably could have been playing today, were it not for that howler. Is he unlucky, or just not good enough? Hard to say so far, but hopefully that mistake doesn’t haunt the poor bastard.

As for Inter, I have absolutely no clue who they’re going to play. Apparently Super Mario Balotelli, Cruz, Pele and Faccia Di Schiaffo extraordinaire Zlatan Ibrahimovic are all out for the first leg, but that doesn’t really mean anything since they have one of the deepest benches in Italy. I expect a tough match, but I’m also confident of getting a result.

Forza Lazio.

Here’s what happened the last time these teams met (in Serie A):