Lazio vs US Sassuolo Calcio preview - Pioli looking for momentum
Posted Saturday, October 04, 2014 by PA
Lazio coach Stefano Pioli hopes his team can build some momentum when they hosts bottom-side Sassuolo on Sunday.
Pioli was able to breathe a big sigh of relief after Monday's 4-0 triumph at Palermo.
The result in Sicily was Lazio's second success of the campaign and their first away from home.
Pioli's joy was understandable as he had come under fire with the Biancoceleste having previously lost three of their last four games.
"We deserved the win," Pioli said. "I am happy because I have seen improvements with respect to our previous games.
"We had gone into the encounter in Palermo on the back of two straight defeats.
"It was easy to motivate my players as prior to the game, I showed them our low (15th) position in the standings and they reacted.
"My players showed more intensity and determination against Palermo and these are positive signs.
"We have to continue to improve and give continuity to this result."
Sassuolo travel to the Stadio Olimpico at full strength and looking for their first win of the campaign.
The Emilia-Romagna club will be bolstered by the return of striker Domenico Berardi.
Berardi missed his team's last three league games through suspension, including Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Napoli.
Lack of goalscoring has been Sassuolo's biggest problem with Eusebio Di Francesco's men having found the back of the net just once this season.
Berardi will play alongside Simone Zaza and Nicola Sansone in attack.
The hosts will be hoping Serbian forward Filip Djordjevic can pick up where he left off in last weekend's match.
The 23-year-old, who joined the Roman outfit this summer from Ligue 1 side Nantes, had failed to find the back of the net in Lazio's opening four Serie A games before scoring a hat-trick at Palermo.
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