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One of Serie A’s strongest and most anticipated matches — the Rome derby — is just days away. On April 13, “Lazio” and “Roma” will face off at the “Olimpico” stadium. This time, “Lazio” players will act as the home team, but, as always, the stadium will be packed with fans.
Three factors — one derby
This match is very important for “Roma” for several reasons. First, experienced coach Claudio Ranieri wants to end his coaching career on a high note. Second, a clash between two powerful clubs representing one city always has special significance for fans. Third, “Lazio” and “Roma”, sitting in sixth and seventh places respectively, are direct rivals in the race for a Champions League ticket.
Seven “finals” — one goal
In the rest of the season, “Roma” will face “Lazio”, “Verona”, “Torino”, “Inter”, “Fiorentina”, “Atalanta” and “Milan”. For Ranieri, each of these matches is like a final. Right now, all his attention is focused on “Lazio”.
— The victory in the first round derby made me happy, but that’s in the past. Now we have a new goal — to please our fans again, — said the coach.
Is trust in Eldor growing?
Ahead of the clash, many are curious — what will Ranieri decide regarding the attack? The team has only two central forwards — Eldor Shomurodov and Artem Dovbyk. The coach might start with one of them and then switch to two-striker tactics. Or, seeing how effective the duo was in recent matches, he might field both from the start.
Because in the last two games, “Roma” scored exactly when Eldor and Artem played together. For this reason, many experts and fans are backing this pairing again.
Italian experts: “It’s time to see Shomurodov in the starting eleven”
Italian media note that Ranieri doesn’t need advice — it’s time to trust Eldor in the starting lineup. The goal scored against “Juventus” confirms the Uzbek striker’s great form.
Eldor, with experience from “Cagliari” and “Genoa”, can lead the attack. Ranieri has two plans:
– Start Shomurodov in place of Artem from the first minutes;
– Use both forwards together. This strategy worked against “Lecce” — in 12 minutes of shared play, Eldor and Artem scored the only goal.
Shomurodov — high motivation, fighting spirit
29-year-old Eldor Shomurodov is also eagerly preparing for the derby. On his social media, he shared training photos with the message: “This week — it’s derby time!”
It’s also worth noting that thanks to his successful performances, Eldor now has the chance to extend his contract with “Roma” until 2027. This match could very well define his future in Rome.
📅 The “Lazio” — “Roma” derby will take place on April 13 at the “Olimpico” stadium. Kick-off is at 23:45 Tashkent time. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!
23:46, 5-04-2025
