Crux time for Lazio

Lazio face a stern test at home to league leaders Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico today as they bid to prove they are capable of pushing Serie A’s heavyweights all the way in the race for the scudetto.

Lazio currently trail high-flyers Juve on goal difference alone, although the Old Lady of Turin do have a game in hand.

The Rome club’s midfielder Cristian Ledesma says it is too early to read too much into this match but does recognise the importance of putting one over on a potential title rival.

“It’s too early to tell if it’s a title clash but we’re all there, that’s what the table says,” he pointed out.

“It’s an important match for both teams but this year every match is difficult. I think we’ve played well against the big teams and maybe if we’d managed our counter-attacks better in the second half against Napoli (in last weekend’s 0-0 draw), we could have won. But I think we can be happy.

“We’ll see on Saturday (today) if we manage to continue doing what we’ve been doing since the start of the season.”

Juve are the only unbeaten team left in the league this season and will play their game in hand away to Napoli on Tuesday. Victories in both games would allow them to put daylight between themselves and the rest.

Lazio will be boosted by the return of top scorer Miroslav Klose, although they still have doubts over French pair Abdoulay Konko and Djibril Cisse. Brazilian centre-back Andre Dias is almost certain to miss out.

Milan, who host Chievo tomor-row night, could potentially take over top spot if results go their way this weekend.

They played well but succumbed 3-2 to Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek.

That followed on from a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina and led Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani to say that he would like the team to play badly but win this weekend, following two good performances that failed to yield a victory.

One side that come into the weekend games off the back of an impressive performance are seventh-placed Napoli, who travel to Atalanta tonight.

They toppled Manchester City 2-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday but president Aurelio de Laurentiis admitted after that match that he was more worried about the game in Bergamo.

Napoli have been the epitome of inconsistent this season, beating Milan, Inter and Man. City but losing to the likes of Chievo, Parma and Catania.

They play better when they are the underdogs but seem unable to break down supposedly weaker sides and another defeat would surely render their title hopes obsolete.

Inter, meanwhile, will be hoping to climb away from the danger zone when they travel to Siena.

They have yet to win successive league games this season and go into the weekend in 16th place.

Fixtures

Serie A

Played Yesterday

Udinese 2
Di Natale 79; Isla 89;
Roma 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 17,000

Playing Today

Atalanta vs Napoli - 20.45
Lazio vs Juventus - 20.45
Lecce vs Catania - 18.00
Novara vs Parma - 18.00

Tomorrow – 15.00

Cagliari vs Bologna
Cesena vs Genoa
Milan vs Chievo - 20.45
Palermo vs Fiorentina
Siena vs Inter

Standings: Udinese 24; Juventus, Lazio 22; Milan 21; Roma 17; Palermo 16; Napoli, Genoa, Chievo, Parma 15; Siena, Catania 14; Atalanta (-6), Fiorentina, Cagliari 13; Inter 11; Bologna 10; Lecce 8; Novara 7; Cesena 6.

Serie B
Playing Today – 15.00

Brescia vs AlbinoLeffe
Cittadella vs Crotone
Grosseto vs Juve Stabia
Nocerina vs Varese
Sampdoria vs Modena
Sassuolo vs Padova
Torino vs Livorno
Verona vs Reggina

Tomorrow

Vicenza vs Pescara - 12.30
Gubbio vs Empoli - 19.00

Monday – 20.45

Ascoli vs Bari

Standings: Torino 35; Pescara, Sas-suolo 32; Padova, Verona, Reggina 28; Sampdoria, Grosseto 23; Varese 22; Cittadella 21; Livorno, Bari 20; Juve Stabia, Brescia 18; Crotone, Vicenza 17; AlbinoLeffe 16; Empoli, Modena 15; Gubbio 14; Nocerina 13; Ascoli 5.