Atalanta vs Lazio preview - Pioli unconcerned about rivals
Posted Saturday, May 02, 2015 by PA
Lazio boss Stefano Pioli is refusing to look over his shoulder as the Biancocelesti bid to secure Champions League football at the earliest opportunity.
The capital club have replaced city rivals Roma in the bid to finish second to Juventus - who will clinch the Serie A title with a point at Sampdoria on Saturday - but the Giallorossi are only a point behind them with five games remaining.
Fourth-placed Napoli, despite their surprise 4-2 defeat at Empoli, are only six points behind.
Following their 4-0 thrashing of relegated Parma in midweek Lazio tackle another struggling opponent in the shape of 17th-placed Atalanta in Bergamo, and Pioli wants his players' full focus to be on collecting a second straight win.
Referring to Wednesday night's victory the Parma-born coach told the Corriere dello Sport: "Let's not be flattered by the result, we approached the game well and the players came up with the goods at the right times.
"Are we worried about Roma and Napoli? No, we're just concentrating on ourselves. I'm not worrying about our direct rivals, who have had their own issues when it comes to trying to win the league or getting into Europe.
"Both of them have done so well and so the fact that we're above them means we've reached a high standard.
"Now we just need to keep focused right to the very end."
Veteran striker Miroslav Klose serves a one-match ban while Santiago Gentiletti, Stefan de Vrij, Lucas Biglia, Lorik Cana, Ederson and Bruno Pereirinha remain sidelined through injury.
Atalanta striker German Denis is subject to a four-game suspension following his changing-room bust-up with Empoli defender Lorenzo Tonelli and Yohan Benalouane is also banned on Sunday.
The Bergamaschi are the only team outside of the bottom three who still harbour realistic fears of being relegated as they are only eight points above 18th-placed Cagliari.
A home win would all but banish those concerns but Atalanta have won just four league games at their Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia this term.
Head coach Edy Reja said: "We have a decent advantage over the drop zone but we must not let ourselves think the season is over just yet."
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