Baroni: ‘Gasperini best coach of the last decade’ | OneFootball

Lazio coach Marco Baroni defends his attacking approach against Atalanta and tips his hat to Gian Piero Gasperini. ‘He is the best coach of the last decade in Italy.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Biancocelesti had been in the Scudetto conversation before the painful 6-0 home defeat to Inter, but remain in the running for a European place and are after all still top of the Europa League table.

Injuries are starting to pile up, as they are missing Tijjani Noslin, Pedro, Manuel Lazzari and Matias Vecino.

Baroni stands by Lazio ideas

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – DECEMBER 12: SS Lazio team line up ashe during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between AFC Ajax and S.S. Lazio at Johan Cruijff Arena on December 12, 2024 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

“We must never lose our shape, we have to maintain our identity and clearly we are missing some players, but we have a solution that can give us some variations of tactical system,” Baroni told Sky Sport Italia.

President Claudio Lotito criticised Baroni for sticking with an attacking formation against Inter, but the coach maintains he has to keep this approach.

“It is a very difficult match, but precisely because it is difficult, the team must stick with what it has built so far and remain within that kind of performance.”

The former Verona coach wanted to tip his hat towards Atalanta boss Gasperini, who won the Europa League in 2024 and is currently top of the Serie A table.

“Atalanta have in my view, no disrespect towards others, the best coach of the last decade in Italy and a real reference point for so many tacticians.”