Empoli vs Lazio preview - Djordjevic 'looks up to Klose'

Filip Djordjevic insists his fellow Lazio hotshot Miroslav Klose is a mentor rather than a rival as the strike partners bid to establish the capital club in the top three.

Five wins from six Serie A games have boosted the Biancocelesti into the final Champions League place and key to much of their success has been a lethal frontline.

Since arriving on a free transfer from Nantes in the summer Serbia international Djordjevic has scored five league goals to compliment a three-goal haul from German veteran Klose.

The in-form duo are set to lead the line once again at Empoli on Sunday and Djordjevic is relishing every moment he gets to play alongside a World Cup winner.

"It can only make me happy to have Miro as my strike partner," he told La Repubblica Sport.

"He is a player of the highest quality, one of the greatest in the history of world football.

"He both works hard for the team and is lethal in the penalty box and I can only hope to achieve some of the things he has in the future.

"It is very important for me to have such an example to look up to, we often talk about that and there is no jealousy between us.

"We're both here to do good things for the team and to score as many goals as possible."

Stefan Radu, Santiago Gentiletti, Dusan Basta and Keita Balde Diao are sidelined through injury while Empoli are missing Tiberio Guarente, Luigi Sepe and Simone Verdi.

Promoted Empoli slipped to 17th in the table after a 2-0 home defeat to reigning champions Juventus but head coach Maurizio Sarri is resisting the urge to panic.

"This bunch of players have been working together for three years and we know that if we change our philosophy we'll get into trouble," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'd rather my team got the ball down and played football because that's what we do best.

"Even if we sink to the bottom of the table we will keep on playing like we are doing now. The results will come."