Lazio reap rewards for positive style

(ANSA) - Rome, April 13 - Before the start of the current season, most AS Roma fans were hopeful of seeing their side end Juventus's run of three consecutive Serie A titles after pushing the Turin giants hard last term.
    The majority of the followers of city rivals Lazio, meanwhile, were gloomy about their team's prospects of making a challenge to be in the top five to quality for the continent's secondary competition, the Europa League.
    The Biancocelesti's squad was assembled for considerably less than Roma's and is in the hands of Stefano Pioli, a coach who had failed to produce stunning results at any of his former clubs.
    For the first half of the season, things followed script, with Roma acting as Juve's main title challenger, with coach Rudi Garcia saying he was certain his side would win the title even after a 3-2 loss at Juve in October, while Lazio were hit by inconsistency.
    Both sets of fans were in for a surprise with their teams' endeavours in the new year this year.
    Roma effectively abandoned the title race with rash of draws against Serie A minnows.
    On the other hand Lazio, who were 12 points behind Roma in sixth place early in February, started to mount a challenge for qualification for the Champions League - a target no one at the club had previously dared set.
    The change in fortunes culminated on Sunday, when Lazio leapfrogged Roma to move into second-place by thumping Empoli 4-0 at home on Sunday in their eight consecutive league win.
    Goals by Stefano Mauri, Miroslav Klose, Antonio Candreva and Felipe Anderson enabled Lazio to climb one point above Roma, who were held 1-1 at Torino.
    This is crucial as the team that finish second in Serie A will qualify directly for the group stage of next season's Champions League, while the team that come third gets a place in the playoff round. And while Roma crashed out of the Champions League and then the Europa League this term, last week Lazio beat Napoli 1-0 away to reach the final of the Italian Cup. Commentators have praised Lazio for their humble approach, contrasting it with the arrogance of Garcia and his men, and their positive style.
    Lazio remain 12 points behind leaders Juventus, who suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at bottom side Parma on Saturday, but Sunday's win enabled them to overtake the champions in attack standings, with 58 goals compared to 57.
    "Lazio are the great surprise (of the season)," former Italy and AC Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi told the Radio Onda Libera station Monday.
    "If (Chairman Claudio) Lotito talked less, it would be perfect.
    "The chairman and (director of sport Igli) Tare have pulled off a masterpiece, spending little to obtain great results.
    "They team develops game after game. They play generous football with courage". Pioli, on the other hand, stressed that his men still have a long way to go.
    "We haven't done anything yet," he said. "There are still eight (league) matches to play".