Both of the home team’s in the Coppa Italia semi-final second legs have a two goal deficit to overturn, first up is the Derby della Capitale as Roma try to find a way back into the game after losing 2-0 to Lazio in the first leg.

 

With the controversial barriers now removed at the Stadio Olimpico, the atmosphere of Derby’s gone by may return. This could be all the more poignant as the possibility of the last Coppa Italia appearance of Roma captain Francesco Totti looms.

 

Lazio defied recent form against their city rivals in the first leg and were victorious for the first time in eight games; goals from Sergej Milinković-Savić and Ciro Immobile gave Simone Inzaghi’s men the advantage and coupled with a clean sheet the Biancocelesti look in pole position to progress.

 

Roma’s head coach Luciano Spalletti has put extra pressure on himself ahead of the game by stating “If I don’t win something, I’ll have to go home.”  The Tuscan born coach added "Finishing second? Winning means to raise a trophy to the sky. Winning means winning.” With Lo Scudetto seemingly gone the only target left is the Coppa, but two goals down it is a huge ask putting the future of Spalletti in question.

 

With the possibility of the Curva’s being full and Totti’s Coppa swansong this has all the makings of a potential classic as Roma chase down a two goal disadvantage.

 

In the second semi-final Napoli and Juventus meet for the second time in four days, despite Napoli taking the lead against La Vecchia Signore at the Juventus stadium for the first time ever in the first leg, they could not hold on. Max Allegri’s men once again proved too strong and responded with three goals of their own including a goal from former Napoli hero Gonzalo Higuain.

 

The league game this past weekend saw a passive Juventus and with a two goal lead to defend it is not unimaginable the same tactics could be employed again. 

 

Maurizio Sarri’s men are undefeated in the last two home games against the reigning Coppa holders but have not won by two or more goals against Juventus since the 2013-14 season. Napoli does have an away goal to help the cause but the odds are firmly stacked against them, but as the previous leg and the league game this past weekend have shown, they can create chances against Juventus, they just need to be more clinical.

 

Juventus, looking to win the Coppa Italia for an historic third time in a row, will also have one eye on next weeks’ huge Champions League game against Barcelona, but it is still hard to imagine that this will distract them enough to throw away a two goal lead. 

 

Allegri’s team are looking for an unprecedented third domestic double in a row and with one defeat in the last eight games against their rivals from Naples the odds look firmly in their favour. 

 

The Stadio San Paolo will once again be full but it will take a huge effort and better finishing to stop the side from Turin reaching the final once again. 



Mark Neale