Juventus and Lazio Meet in Crunch Match
Copyright � 1998 Nando Media
Copyright � 1998 Agence France-Presse
ROME (Dec 4, 1998 - 11:27 EST) - Italian champions Juventus and Italian Cup holders Lazio, both revitalised by good mid-week performances, meet in a crunch clash at the Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin on Sunday.
Both sides have been in poor form in recent league matches with Juventus losing two of its last four games and with Lazio losing three of its last five.
Last Sunday, Juventus was humbled in a 3-0 defeat by Bologna while Lazio was held to a 3-3 draw in its Rome derby with AS Roma, conceding two late goals.
Juventus comes into Sunday's game in fifth place, four points behind leaders Fiorentina while visitors Lazio are 10th, eight points behind the leaders.
Both Juventus coach Marcello Lippi and his Lazio counterpart, Sven Eriksson, however, believe that the worst is behind them now, taking heart from good mid-week performances.
On Wednesday, Juventus drew its postponed Champions League tie with Turkish side Galatasaray 1-1 in Istanbul while on Thursday Lazio beat Inter Milan 2-1 in an Italian Cup quarterfinal, first leg.
Lippi said on Friday: "I was very satisfied with our demonstration of solidity and strength in Istanbul. I get the impression that there are whole lot of people around me just waiting to right the words "end of the line" alongside the name Juventus.
"However we've every intention of putting off that day as long as possible and what's more we're convinced we can do so."
Sven Eriksson likewise took comfort from Lazio's Cup win against Inter.
"We're on the way back. I'm convinced that we're finally heading in the right direction but we must now play well in Turin to round off a positive week for us."
Juventus, without long term injury victim Alessandro Del Piero, continue to field the makeshift strike force of Filippo Inzaghi, partnered by Zinedine Zidane.
In midfield Jocelyn Blanchard replaces injured Edgar Davids alongside Didier Deschamps, Angelo Di Livio and Antonio Conte.
Gianluca Pessotto drops back from midfield to left back to replace suspended Zoran Mirkovic while reserve goalkeeper Michelangelo Rampulla comes in for the injured Angelo Peruzzi.
Lazio, as usual this season, have injury problems with Pavel Nedved the latest to join an injury list that includes strikers Christian Vieri and Alen Boksic as well as midfielder Paul Okon and defender Fernando Couto while defender Sinisa Mihajlovic is suspended.
Roberto Mancini and Marcelo Salas continue to lead the Lazio attack while Italian international defender Alessandro Nesta may return to feature in his first Serie A game since injuring himself in the opening minutes of Italy's first round game against Austria at France '98.
Nesta made his comeback in the Cup tie against Inter on Thursday, coming on at halftime to give an authorative second-half performance.
The record books holds out little hope for Lazio, however, since the Rome club has won only five out of 55 league games played against Juventus in Turin.
Last season, too, Lazio fared badly against Juventus, losing 2-1 in Turin in December and 1-0 in Rome in April.
