Lazio-Atalanta
on the pitch at 20:45
LIVE
for the 22nd day of Serie A
EVE
"Playing against Atalanta is like going to the dentist, as Guardiola said. If they decline physically, they're a normal team, if they're physically well, they're very strong: they have six forwards, few in Europe can afford them." This is Maurizio Sarri's warning on the eve of Lazio-Atalanta
, tomorrow night's big match at the Olimpico.
"The way Lazio has evolved leaves me satisfied, there's an attitude, dedication, professionalism. There's a bit of frustration because we always seem close to making a leap in quality and then it never comes. There is room for improvement, we have to go and look for them from tomorrow", adds the Capitoline coach.
The silence on the eve of the Champions League match at Lazio's home, in the Atalanta headquarters in Zingonia, was broken only by the joyful noise of the scarce hundreds of fans who flocked to incite the team just before the departure for the capital.
No scarves and smoke bombs, nothing as organized as the pre-Milan event last August 20th.
Less muted, however, the doubts beyond the three absences of the disqualified Maehle-Muriel and Pasalic (right ankle sprain).
The third goalkeeper Rossi, held back by the announced birth of his firstborn, was replaced by Primavera Bertini.
Boga or Ederson?
Trident or third game in a row with the 3-4-1-2, defeated 1-0 in the Coppa Italia by Inter and last Saturday by Sassuolo?
The balance problems reported by Gasperini, i.e. the more open defensive phase if the Ivorian is in line with Lookman and Hojlund, still seem a small thing in the face of the bare figures, those 22 goals in 6 games in January alone guaranteed by the offensive set-up redesigned after the break for the World Cup