Lazio v Rosenborg background
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Article summary
Lazio approach their first 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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SS Lazio have made a strong start in UEFA Europa League Group G, with Rosenborg BK hoping a fine run on the road augurs well as they seek a second victory on Italian soil.
Previous meetings
• The clubs are meeting for the first time in what is Lazio's first encounter with Norwegian opponents.
• Rosenborg have won only one of their 14 games against Italian sides – W1 D4 L9 (W0 D4 L3 in Trondheim – W1 D0 L6 in Italy). That lone victory was a memorable 2-1 triumph at AC Milan in the 1996/97 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Form guide
• Lazio are unbeaten in Group G (W1 D1) and have lost only one of their last 13 European home fixtures (W9 D3 L1) – 1-0 to PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the 2013/14 UEFA Europa League round of 32.
• Rosenborg are undefeated away from home in Europe this term: W4 D1. Rosenborg and Qäbälä FK are the only clubs who have made it all the way from the first qualifying round to this season's group stage.
• 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.
• Rosenborg's three previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage tilts have all ended in elimination.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Trondheim to Rome is around 2,400km.
• Lazio's Romanian defender Ştefan Radu turns 29 on the day of the Rosenborg game.
• 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 the seventh-highest scoring German player in UEFA club competition history.
The coaches
• 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.
• 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.
