Lazio are preparing to face the Gym (Thursday at 7pm) and currently find themselves in great form. After Napoli this summer, another huge part of Italian football is readying itself to travel to the Plaine du Var.

The dynamic

Finalists in the last Italian Cup, 5th in the last Serie A, the Romans have continued in the same vein at the start of this season. They have perfectly negotiated it and after 8 games, they continue to move forward.

With 6 victories, 1 draw and 1 defeat, Lazio have set themselves up on the 3rd step of the podium, and arrive on the back of a prestigious win in Turin, over Juventus, current champions and finalist of the Champions League (2-1). Winner of the Italian Super Cup this summer against the very same Old Lady, the club has also earned wins in its first two matches in the Europa League (3-2 at Arnhem, 2-0 against Zulte).

The coach

The younger brother of the biggest of all poachers (the incomparable "Pippo"), Simone Inzaghi has been working wonders since his arrival on the Lazio bench eighteen months ago. Former forward for the club and former youth team coach, the manager has built a talented and explosive side. Set-up in a perfectly oiled 3-5-2, his men are set up around an international vertebral column. 

In front of the young Albanian, Thomas Strakosha, Dutchman Stefan De Vrij (33 caps) holds together the defence. In the middle, Lucas Leiva (Brazilian international, ex-Liverpool) signed this summer to bring science to their game, flanked by Nazionale’s Marco Parolo and young Serbian international Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Finally, the attack revolves around Ciro Immobile, number 9 for the Squadra Azzurra. So many individuals talents accompanied by competent players and pace on the wings (Lulic on the left, Marisic on the right), forcing Nani to wait patiently on the bench.

The “bomb”

Mentioned above, Ciro Immobile (27 years old) makes up the main strength of the Lazio squad. Discovered with Pescara (28 goals in Serie B during the 2012/13 season), irresistible with Torino (22 goals in Serie A in 2013/14), moving onto Dortmund and Sevilla, the current top scorer of Serie A (11 goals in 8 matches) is proving lethal.

Always moving, technical, he boasts incredible composure in front of goal and travels on the back of a brace against Juve. A starter for the Italian national side, he could come up against, Super Mario, another in-form forward. Another star coming from the other side of the Alps…

C.D.

 (Photo credits: SS Lazio)

Tickets from 10€

Tickets are still available on the online ticket office and in all of the usual points of sale (Club Shop, 4 place Masséna / Large distribution network) for the clash on Thursday (7pm) against Lazio, with prices starting from 10€ (5€ for under-12 years old).

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