Totti banned as Rome derby fever hots up

Derby fever is especially fervent in Rome this week as the two city rivals prepare to do battle at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow.

Lazio have had to live in Roma’s shadow for several years but their surprising start to the season has seen them open up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

That has got the sky blue half of the city more excited than normal and around 4,000 fans turned up to watch a midweek practice match between Lazio and their own youth team.

Even given Lazio’s lofty position in the Serie A table, Roma are still regarded by many as the better team, although Lazio will be nominally the home side at the ground they share.

But what has given Lazio fans extra confidence and perhaps hit the self-belief of Roma’s is that giallorossi captain Francesco Totti will be suspended due to his dismissal last week against Lecce for pushing Ruben Olivera.

It means that for once, the cards look stacked in Lazio’s favour and although coach Edy Reja insists they’re not equipped to last the distance at the top of the tree, victory tomorrow would not only give their fans a huge boost but would also suggest that this team is at least good enough to qualify for the Champions League.

However, not everyone agree on whether Totti’s absence will help or hinder Roma.

Although the club talisman and the darling of the terraces, Totti is almost 35 and many think he is not just past his best but also keeping a more deserving player out of the team.

Without Totti’s imposing presence some think other Roma players may feel freer to express themselves.

And Lazio captain Tommaso Rocchi says he for one isn’t relieved by Totti’s absence.

“We would have been happier to see him on the pitch, maybe his absence is an advantage for Roma given the results in the last few derbies,” he said, a referrence to last year’s equivalent fixture in which Totti was withdrawn at half-time as Roma won 2-1.

However, Rocchi had a warning to his own team-mates.

“Often the team in the better form, the one that seems superior, normally has more to lose,” he said.

“We need to forget everything we’ve done until now and to prepare as best we can for the game. I’m sure we’ll play well. I think the level of Roma and Lazio is the same, we’re in better shape than them.”

While many are surprised that the cash-strapped capital team are top of the league, Rocchi insists they deserve to be where they are.

“If we’re top it’s because we deserve it. In every game there are favourable incidents but if you win every time it means that the team is there and deserves what it gets,” he said.

After an awful start to the season, Roma have been slowly improving, but midfielder Daniele de Rossi says they will have to be at the top of their game to come out on top.

“We need to play perfectly. Lazio are the team of the moment, the most in-form team and everything’s going for them. It’ll be very tough,” he said.

Second-placed Inter will be looking to bounce back from their humbling at Tottenham in midweek as they host Brescia while third-placed Milan travel to struggling Bari.

Serie A

Playing Today
Bologna vs Lecce - 18.00
Inter vs Brescia - 20.45

Tomorrow – 15.00
Fiorentina vs Chievo
Bari vs Milan
Juventus vs Cesena
Lazio vs Roma
Napoli vs Parma
Palermo vs Genoa - 20.45
Sampdoria vs Catania
Udinese vs Cagliari

Standings: Lazio 22; Inter 18; Milan 17; Juventus, Napoli 15; Sampdoria, Chievo 14; Udinese 13; Roma 12; Palermo, Genoa, Lecce 11; Cagliari, Catania 10; Fiorentina, Brescia 9; Parma, Cesena, Bologna, Bari 8.

Serie B

Played yesterday
Reggina vs Portogruaro - 1-0
Triestina vs Atalanta - 0-1

Today – 15.00
AlbinoLeffe vs Sassuolo
Ascoli vs Novara
Crotone vs Pescara
Grosseto vs Torino
Modena vs Livorno
Padova vs Empoli
Piacenza vs Vicenza
Siena vs Frosinone
Varese vs Cittadella

Leading standings: Novara 28; Atalanta, Reggina 24; Siena 22; Livorno, Empoli 20; Padova 19; Varese, Crotone, Frosinone, Torino, Vicenza 16.