Lazio head coach Marco Baroni is expecting to face an AC Milan side that are fired up in search of their first win of the season in tomorrow night’s clash.
Milan face the trip to the capital having failed to win either of their first two games and having obtained just one point from them, that being a 2-2 draw against Torino in round one that was followed by a 2-1 defeat against Parma.
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Lazio meanwhile have three points on the board after they beat Verona at home to kick off the campaign but they were then beaten by Udinese away from home last Saturday.
It will be an important early-season crossroads for both teams at the Stadio Olimpico therefore, with the feeling being that a defeat would really see the pressure dialled up on Paulo Fonseca and his side.
Baroni spoke at his pre-match press conference on the eve of the game against Milan and his responses were relayed by MilanNews.
What kind of Lazio will Milan face tomorrow?
“Tomorrow we have a difficult match, we are facing an opponent who, regardless of their standings, have played two good games. They are the team that has shot the most on goal and according to the coach they must win the title, it will be a difficult match and a very high-level performance will be needed.”
Can the memory of last year’s defeat be a stimulus tomorrow? How do you plan to fix the defense?
“I saw last year’s game. I don’t believe much in past events, the important thing is our motivation. We’ll need a perfect game in attitude and compactness, the opponent requires it. The team knows it has to focus on these aspects.
“Balance is the most important thing, I’m not just talking about defence. We have to risk a little at the moment, we’ve scored four goals and hit the post three times, we’re the team that has made the most crosses and taken the most corners of all.
“I’m looking for a significant offensive production because last year the team was fifteenth for shots on target, we have to improve this aspect. We need concreteness and at the same time find team balance, which doesn’t mean having an extra midfielder but the right distances and we’re working on this.”
What kind of match do you expect from Milan? Between Dia and Castellanos, who can play more as a second striker?
“Taty is a centre-forward, he is a player who plays with enormous ferocity and he surprisingly surprised me. I knew he was a strong player, but he had an important attitude.
“He is mobile and I like that, same thing with Dia. He knows how to come and get the ball too, but he will have to lend a hand. We will need help in one phase, in the other I have no worries.
“Milan is a wounded team, we will need great attention and a lot will depend on our performance. I know what performance they will put in, we all know the value of their squad.”
What can a coach do to solve the problem of conceding a goal at the start of the half? Will Lazio press less but more effectively?
“They were different runs, the team can look for more compactness from this point of view. Density is not defensive, but aggression is fundamental and we are working on it. At times we did good things, we will need a game with very few errors and productive.
“To concede fewer goals at the start of the half it is a question of attitude, there are moments in the game in which you cannot switch off. If the ball is out of the field you cannot switch off, there is great awareness.”
