epa11898864 Lazio’s head coach Marco Baroni reacts during the Serie A soccer match between SS Lazio and SSC Napoli at the Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 15 February 2025. EPA-EFE/Riccardo Antimiani
Lazio coach Marco Baroni is ‘not happy’ about the condition of the pitch for Thursday’s Europa League round of 16 match between Viktoria Plzen and the Biancocelesti, and has explained why he has decided to stick with Ivan Provedel in goal rather than Christos Mandas.
It kicks off at the Stadion Mesta Plzen at 20.00 GMT. The second leg is at the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday evening.
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game, Roma-Athletic Club and Panathinaikos-Fiorentina on the Liveblog.
The Biancocelesti dominated the league phase of this tournament and were therefore top seeds in the draw, paired with a Viktoria Plzen side who eliminated Ferencvaros in the play-offs.
Baroni on Viktoria pitch and goalkeeper choices
Following the last-gasp Serie A victory away to Milan on Sunday, Lazio make this trip without Taty Castellanos, Mattia Zaccagni, Elseid Hysaj and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Provedel has kept his position in goal, despite Mandas usually being the go-to stopper in cup matches.
Explaining his choice of goalkeepers before kick-off, Baroni told Sky Sport Italia: “I wanted to give continuity in goal and for that reason I chose Provedel. It seemed right to do so because we are entering a crucial phase of the season.”
On the challenge he expects from Viktoria Plzen on Thursday night, he added: “I think we expected a great match in terms of intensity today. We will have to be good on the ball and we will have to do well from a mental point of view as well.
“Viktoria Plzen plays uses height a lot, I decided to field the guys who give us more guarantees from a physical point of view, the five changes will be important for us.”
Baroni continued: “They bring the pressure, and we will have to be good at closing the full-backs down quickly. They drop into a 5-3-2, so we will have to find openings. There will be a lot of work for our full-backs, especially in the offensive phase.”
Baroni is not particularly happy about the condition of the pitch in Czechia, but he insists that that will not be an excuse regardless of the result tonight.
“I immediately spoke to the team when I got back to the hotel last night. This is the pitch. We are not happy, but we don’t need excuses. We have to be good at adapting quickly, the impact of this game is massively important.”
Image:Getty
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