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Both coaches worried about the absent defenders

Milan will be without the defensive midfielder De Jong and the defenders Bonera, Zapata, De Sciglio, and Rami in Rome, but the home team don't have it much better either

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In the last round, Lazio ended a great eight-matche undefeated run in. It happened in a very important match against Napoli. Numerous absences, including the midfielder Felipe Anderson and Mauri, affected Pioli's team performance. They couldn't score against Napoli, while Higuain shook the net of the substitute goalie Berisha who covered up for the suspended Marchetti. Lazio lost a direct duel for the third place, but Pioli's team got their chance to demonstrate their strength soon enough, against another team wishing to play the Champions League next season. 

Pioli doesn't care about the rumors about a crisis in Milan:

- I don't know if Milan are in a crisis, and to be honest, I don't care. If I'm thinking about problems, I think only about those that could wait for us in the match. We got mentally ready after the last week's defeat, and now I want to get three points. Milan changed during their trip, but we changed, too, compared to the first match. We never give up, and are always rising, and now, the most important thing is to get the points and start the second part of the season well. We did the first part well, but we haven't done anything yet. 

Lazio still have problems with the absences, but the first goalie Marchetti and the midfielder Mauri are coming back. De Vrij and the midfielder Biglia are still having problems with their injuries, but Pioli's hoping that they're going to recover enough to at least sit on the bench. The great wing forward Felipe Anderson, the versatile Lulić, and the defenders Ciani, Braafheid and Gentiletti are definitely still not ready to play. Because of all these absences, the back Radu will join Canu at the center back position. 

There's no end to Milan's fans' disappointments, and after the last week's defeat against Atalanta, the president Berlusconi said he's had enough of the club's negative business effect, and all the wasted money. Milan won only twice in the last 12 rounds of Serie A, and it's a miracle that Inzaghi's team still have realistic chances to get to the third place at the end of the season, with all the bad results they lined up lately. To get to that third place, they need to play much better than they did against Atalanta who outplayed them last week on San Siro. But, the tradition doesn't work in Inzaghi's favor. The last time they defeated Lazio at the Roman Olimpico was in 2009. 

Inzaghi's hoping for a good show by Milan in Rome:

- The traps Lazio will set for us? We all know Lazio's strength, but I'm focused on my team. We can defeat anyone if we play like we did in the previous weeks. I can't wait for the game to start. We have to go back to playing the football we want to play, and that can bring us good results. With hard work and dedication, we can quickly come back to what we were doing about twenty days ago. Is this the key match? All matches are the key ones for me, difficult but also beautiful at the same time. 

The guests from Milan will have to play in Rome without the injured defenders Bonera, Zapata and de Sciglio, the defensive midfielder De Jong, and the wing forward Honda who's playing the Asian Cup. The center backs Alex and Mexes, and the backs Armero and Abate will play Milan's defense because of all the defensive players being absent.