On Friday, in a replica of last season’s Coppa Italia final, Lazio conceded two first-half goals against back-to-form Juventus to suffer their fifth defeat in their last six outings in Serie A.
Juve’s fifth straight win coincided with Lazio’s sixth winless game in a row. This result confirmed a change in fortunes these two sides have experienced in recent weeks.
Juventus started the season with back-to-back defeats against Udinese (0-1) and Roma (1-2). However, after a bleak run, the Serie A champions stepped up several gears and are now very much involved in the title race.
The same cannot be said of Lazio though.
On the ninth day, Stefano Pioli’s men were in top form as they cruised to a 3-0 home win against Torino. But since then, their fortunes took a change for the worse as they were beaten by Atalanta (1-2), Milan (1-3), Roma (0-2) and Empoli (0-1).
That was followed by last week’s home debacle to Juventus.
Lazio’s only positive result since the end of October was a 1-1 home draw with struggling Palermo at home. Such a run does not augur well as Lazio have so far collected just 19 points from 15 outings.
Pioli is in danger of losing his job with various replacements already being mentioned in the media.
However, it should be considered that things are slightly better for Pioli and his men in the Europa League. In fact, in Group G, they won four matches from five to book their place in the knock-out stages of the tournament.
The only points Lazio dropped in their group fixtures was a 1-1 away draw at last season’s beaten finalists Dnipro on the first day. Following that, Lazio cruised to four consecutive wins – vs Saint-Etienne (3-2), Rosenborg (3-1, 2-0) and Dnipro (3-1).
The impressive run in the Europa League somewhat compensates for Lazio’s early exit in the Champions League at the hands of Bayer Lever-kusen last summer.
Pioli’s task
I think it would be easy for the club chiefs to make Pioli a scapegoat of the team’s poor run and show him the backdoor.
The former Bologna mentor did very well in his first season in Rome, leading Lazio to a creditable third-place finish and the Coppa Italia final at the expense of more-quoted sides in Serie A.
In this regard, a turbulent start to the season should not put Pioli’s operate into bad light because if there is a man who can steer the team out of the tunnel, it is the former Fiorentina defender.
On Monday, Lazio host Sampdoria before travelling to high-flyers Inter on December 20.
These are two tricky encounters before the Christmas break which can help Lazio return to business in the domestic league.
In Europe, they travel to France tomorrow to take on Saint-Etienne, a fixture that will bring the curtains down on the tournament’s qualifying phase.
On December 17, Pioli’s side host Udinese in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia. This competition, perhaps, represents an ideal opportunity for Lazio to book a berth in the Europa League next season if they fail to make a top-five finish in the domestic championship.
Moreover, Lazio can still book a Champions League slot if they become the first Italian side to lift the Europa League since Parma in 1999.
Pioli should be given another chance but he has to see that his players regain the lost confidence in time not to finish among the also-rans at the end of the season.
They are still in time to claw back in contention in Serie A with no team able to impose any kind of supremacy at the moment.
Furthermore, Lazio have enough quality within their ranks to embark on a positive run in both Coppa Italia and Europa League this season.
The critics are also saying that the players and coach need all the backing they can get from their fans to emerge from this dark patch.
It is very detrimental for the morale of the team if the supporters in Curva Nord jeer their players during matches. That would add more pressure on the squad.
It is during such testing times that unity should prevail for the common good of one and all.