Petkovic is preparing the last details before the match against Stuttgart. The match, planned for tomorrow, will be played without supporters due to the UEFA disqualification for racism. The first round saw Lazio won 0-2 thanks to Ederson and Onazi, making the qualification almost a certainty. Petkovic’s team has performed till now in an excellent way in Europe League: 7 victories, 4 draws and no defeats, despite the wide turnover and the physical stress for the double weekly appointment.

Petkovic appeared resolute and concentrated: ” Lazio could and will arrive as high as possible. We want to win in Europe League. This match must be played with the right motivation because there are still 90 minutes to play till the end of the round. A 2-0 can be easily overturned, as Barcelona did yesterday against AC Milan. Unfortunately I don’t have many players on my bench, but we are motivated to suffer till the end of the Championship.

Probably due to the reduced number of available players, Lazio is paying the excellence in the European competition with a crisis in Serie A. Two defeats against direct rivals for the Europe zone of the league table: 3-0 vs AC Milan and 2-0 vs Fiorentina, have shown a lack of strategy and concentration. Lazio’s trend in 2013 is fluctuating between great performances, as the 2-1 against Juventus in Coppa Italia, and horrible performances as the 3-0 gained in Siena.