Rosenborg v Lazio background
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Article summary
Lazio approach their first home match against Norwegian opponents with reason for optimism, Group G guests Rosenborg having won only once in 14 trips to Italy.
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Rosenborg lost 3-1 in Rome on UEFA Europa League matchday three and another defeat by Lazio would leave them stranded at the foot of Group G.
Previous meetings
• Lazio had Mauricío dismissed after just six minutes but still went on to prevail when they took on Rosenborg for the first time on 22 October. It was their first encounter with Norwegian opponents.
• Rosenborg have won only one of their 15 games against Italian sides – W1 D4 L10 (W0 D4 L3 in Trondheim). That lone victory was a memorable 2-1 success at AC Milan in the 1996/97 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Form guide
• Rosenborg are without a win in three Group G fixtures (D1 L2) and have lost their last two European home games 1-0.
• Lazio are unbeaten in Group G (W2 D1) but have not won any of their past three continental away matches (D2 L1).
• Rosenborg's three previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage tilts have all ended in elimination.
• Lazio have successfully navigated their way through their last three UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, having missed out on the round of 32 in their first two attempts: in 2004/05 and 2009/10.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Rome to Trondheim is around 2,400km.
• Rosenborg have been denied by the woodwork three times in the first three matchdays – more than any other team this UEFA Europa League season.
• Rosenborg ended a five-year wait for Norwegian league glory by sewing up their 23rd title on 25 October. Lazio won the last of their two Serie A titles in 2000.
• Rosenborg's Tore Reginiussen (US Lecce) and Alexander Søderlund (FBC Treviso, Calcio Lecco 1912) have spent time with Italian clubs.
• With 30 goals, Lazio's Miroslav Klose is level with FC Bayern München's Thomas Müller as the seventh-highest scoring German player in UEFA club competition history.
The coaches
• Kåre Ingebrigtsen was born in Trondheim and has been with Rosenborg as a player or a coach for long periods of his professional career. As a midfielder, he spent two years abroad with Manchester City FC and was assistant coach at Viking FK when he was offered the senior job at Rosenborg.
• A central defender, with Juventus and ACF Fiorentina among others, Stefano Pioli took charge of Lazio in 2014. He has been a coach in Italy's top two divisions since 2003, his clubs including home-town side Parma FC, AC Chievo Verona and most recently Bologna FC.