Tribal Football

Baroni delighted as Lazio win at Twente

Carlos Volcano
Baroni delighted as Lazio win at Twente
Baroni delighted as Lazio win at TwenteAction Plus
Lazio coach Marco Baroni was delighted with their Europa League win at FC Twente.

Pedro and Gustav Isaksen struck for the 2-0 victory in Holland.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Baroni later said: “It all went well because the team prepared carefully for a complicated match. The atmosphere is fiery, this is a young team that loves to press high even when down to 10 men, so I told the lads at half-time I expected them to show maturity. This was a tie we needed to kill off and even then keep our heads in the game.

“I am happy for Samuel (Gigot), he can give this team a great deal. He’s got character and charisma, we have him back in the squad. It’s a process for players who come to a new league, they need to be given time and space to get used to a different way of dealing with preparation and game management, but after that they will have exponential growth. 

“Versatility is crucial in modern football and I feel that beauty is essential in the game. I tell the lads they can lose matches, but have to play with this level of performance and approach.

“The team came here, immediately pressed high and made life difficult for Twente, a side who had two great performances so far in the Europa League.”

Baroni also said: “I like a team that plays the ball, which in itself is also a matter of mentality and that becomes beauty. There was a moment in the game today where we slowed down the tempo and immediately Twente tried to get back into the match, so we cannot allow that to happen.

“As a coach, I decided to maintain four attacking players and told them that in order to do that, we all need to work together. We cannot handle four strikers if we don’t track back, so they acknowledged and understood that. There is a lot of work to be done, we know that, but we’re pleased so far.

“I like to motivate the team during the week and they are receptive to it. This is a team that knows attack is the best form of defence.”