Marco Baroni, the head coach of Lazio, addressed the media in a press conference as he prepares for his first derby match against Roma, scheduled for Sunday evening at the Stadio Olimpico. During the conference, Baroni reflected on the significance of the match and the state of his team.
He emphasized that while some may believe derbies are easy to prepare for, he sees them as collective efforts. “It is said that these matches prepare themselves, but for me, they are prepared together. In this game, there is the passion of an entire city; when you live with passion, there is beauty. Passion also brings pain, and what I am conveying to the team is to approach this beautiful and wonderful match with all the joy that it deserves.”
Discussing his feelings about his first derby and his past experiences with Roma, Baroni stated, “The derby is the derby; it is not just another game. For me, it is special and will always be. It requires all the attention and desire we have consistently put on display.” He acknowledged that while he carries experiences from his past, he is focused on the present opportunity with Lazio. “We will be away from home on Sunday, but I assure you we are never away from home with our supporters; we feel our people with us even when they cannot attend.”
Baroni was asked about Claudio Ranieri’s comments leading up to the match. He noted, “Claudio, perhaps not everyone remembers, was my coach for a few months in Naples. He is a wonderful person, and I appreciate what he said. However, this match is different; we know the difficulties it presents.”
On team updates, Baroni confirmed that Toma Basic and Elseid Hysaj would be included in the squad for the derby. He mentioned that both players have been valuable in recent competitions. Regarding Nuno Tavares’ condition, he stated that Tavares had a minor injury but is recovering well. “He has great offensive capabilities; sometimes things work better than others, but we cannot expect him to provide five or six assists per game. He needs to play freely; his beauty lies in taking risks.”
