Marco Baroni explains some of his surprising choices as Lazio take on rivals Roma for the Derby della Capitale. ‘There must be zero alibis’ about Europa League fatigue.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
The Biancocelesti had started the season in spectacular fashion and topped the Europa League table, but have rather lost their way in 2025.
“This is a game where we must all together give everything we’ve got. The team knows that,” Baroni told DAZN.
Baroni balances different Lazio demands
They are fresh off Thursday’s 2-0 Europa League quarter-final defeat to Bodo/Glimt in Norway and must prepare for the second leg next week, but today’s Derby della Capitale is also a head-to-head for European qualification.
“What I told the lads is that we can play the Rome Derby even the moment we get off the plane, so there must be zero alibis. They must feel the joy of this moment and experience it to the full,” warned Baroni.
Taty Castellanos returns to the starting XI, while Luca Pellegrini is chosen at right-back and Christos Mandas in goal, sending Ivan Provedel to the bench.
Among the decisions that Baroni had to make was Fisayo Dele-Bashiru instead of Boulaye Dia in the trequartista role.
“Dele-Bashiru has returned from injury, he gives us muscle and depth in those areas. I think considering many little situations we need to look at, we need not just those who start, but also who comes off the bench. We feel for our strategy, he can give us an important hand in the starting XI,” explained the coach.
Baroni lost his first Derby della Capitale earlier this season and is up against a veteran like Claudio Ranieri, so how would it feel to win this fixture?
“It would be extraordinary to win the derby, because you feel the atmosphere and the passion of our fans, so we are all fully concentrated and must play together as a group.”
