The 2013 Coppa Italia final plays host to one of the most fierce rivalries in Italian football as Roma meet Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in the Rome derby.
Neither side has enjoyed a particularly successful Serie A campaign, so they will both be desperate to finish the year on a high and get one over on their arch rivals.
It marks the first occasion where the pair have met in the competition's conclusion.
The match kicks off at 5pm.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of the Coppa Italia final where Roma meet Lazio in a tasty Rome derby.
What a way this is to end the season. Nothing quite like an fierce derby cup final, and they don't come carrying much more bad blood than the Rome derby. These two teams well and truly hate each other.
Neither team had the best of Serie A campaigns either. Both sides missed out on European football, with sixth-placed Roma finishing a point ahead of Lazio in seventh. So that will add extra spice to this clash.
We'll bring you team news shortly, but first, let's remind ourselves of how both teams progressed to the final.
ROMA'S ROUTE TO THE FINAL
Round of 16: Beat Atalanta 3–0
Quarter-finals: Beat Fiorentina 1–0
Semi-finals: Beat Inter Milan 5-3 on aggregate
Round of 16: Beat Atalanta 3–0
Quarter-finals: Beat Fiorentina 1–0
Semi-finals: Beat Inter Milan 5-3 on aggregate
LAZIO'S ROUTE TO THE FINAL
Round of 16: Drew with Siena 1-1 (Won 4-1 on penalties)
Quarter-finals: Beat Catania 3-0
Semi-finals: Beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate
Round of 16: Drew with Siena 1-1 (Won 4-1 on penalties)
Quarter-finals: Beat Catania 3-0
Semi-finals: Beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate
Right, time for some team news then.
ROMA XI: Lobont, Marquinhos, Castan, Burdisso, Balzaretti, Filho, De Rossi, Bradley, Lamela, Totti, Destro
LAZIO XI: Marchetti, Biava, Radu, Hernanes, Lulic, Onazi, Ledesma, Cana, Konko, Candreva, Klose
The teams have come out of the tunnel, we're just moments away from the national anthem and then the start of this match.
The anthems been sung and the teams are gearing up to go.
Roma will have kick off.
AND WE'RE UNDERWAY!
Roma are playing from right to left in this first half, wearing their usual burgundy shirt, white shorts and burgundy socks.
Lazio are sporting sky blue from top to toe.
Roma are awarded a free kick in the midway point of the Lazio half. Totti puts a cross into the area and there is a header of the end of it, but it is too tame and easy for Marchetti to claim.
It's a sunny day in the Italian capital today, and the majority of the pitch is engulfed in shade, making it very difficult to identify the players.
CHANCE! Lazio get the first chance of the match as Lulic picks up the ball of the edge of the box. He hits a low shot which is spilt by Lobont, but fortunately for him Klose can only put his follow-up effort into the side netting.
YELLOW CARD By the way, Ledesma was booked for hacking down Marquinhos within the first 45 seconds of the match.
Apart from that Lulic/Klose chance, it has been a fairly tame start at the Stadio Olimpico. No other opportunities yet.
CHANCE! Roma have a go on goal through talisman Francesco Totti. The ball finds him on the left of the Lazio half and he ghosts inside and hits a low right-footed strike from the edge of the box, but it is easily stopped by Marchetti.
CHANCE! It's a lovely run from Michael Bradley. He dribbles past a number of Lazio players into the box on the right before trying to get a shot away while he could. However, he was off balance when aiming his strike, and as a result it curls wide of the far post.
YELLOW CARD It's a booking apiece now in this match as Balzaretti is penalised for a late challenge. He doesn't seem to bothered about it either.
Lazio win a corner on the left, but it is cleared by the first man.
CHANCE! Roma are starting to enjoy a few more opportunities around the box now as Lamela runs to the edge of the box and lets fly with his left peg. However, the ball is stopped rather easily by Marchetti.
Candreva scuffs a shot wide resulting in Lulic moaning at him for not passing the ball. There is an awful lot of moaning going on today.
If your satellite starts to play up, it's probably because Totti just smashed one with his latest effort. The ball comes out to him about 30 yards from goal, and my word does he get underneath it. I'm sure sure if it has actually landed yet, but when it does, we will have a goal kick.
YELLOW CARD This is a really stupid way to pick up a yellow. Marquinos chops down a man before booting the ball away after the whistle had gone. Moments earlier, Balzaretti was very close to cutting a Lazio defender in half. I'd be very surprised if this game finishes with 22 players on the pitch.
Nice bit of play from Klose down the left for Lazio, as he wiggles away from his man before putting a low cross in. The pass was a poor one though and was hoofed downfield by the Roma backline.
I know we have had 30 minutes already, but this game hasn't really got started yet. It's so stop-start it's unreal.
YELLOW CARD Hernanes is the latest to go into the book for a rather malicious challenge. That makes it 2-2 on yellows.
Marquinhos, who has already been booked, gives away a foul for jumping into the back of Ledesma. He is treading a tightrope here.
CHANCE! Klose is so dangerous in the box and he shows why there. A cross is whipped in from the left, and Klose is lurking at the far post but his header is stopped well at point-blank range by Lobont.
That really was a cracking was by the Roma stopper.
Lazio was a penalty as Candreva goes down after jostling with Balzaretti. He doesn't get it though and rightly so. Went down far too easy.
To be fair, Candreva was having his shirt pulled, but he didn't do himself any favours with the dive.
YELLOW CARD This is nuts. Now Klose goes into the book for a late sliding challenge on Burdisso.
Lulic causes Roma a few problems down the left as he weaves his way into the box but then gives away a free kick as he chops down De Rossi who had dispossessed him.
Not sure how much added time there will be, but this one looks as if it is going to be 0-0 at the break.
CHANCE! And as I say that, Roma come fractions from taking the lead as Destro heads over from Marquinhos' cross from four yards.
HALF TIME: Roma 0-0 Lazio
So no added time and it is goalless going into the break. There have been a few chances, a lot of yellow cards, but no goals as of yet. We need to see more quality in the box in the second half.
Both sides are making their way back onto the pitch now. Remember, this game could go to extra time and penalties if needs be.
Lazio are moments away from starting this second half.
The start has been delayed as Marchetti was still in the changing rooms. He is now back out and we can restart the match.
THE SECOND HALF HAS BEGUN
Roma are shooting to the right in this second half, while Lazio are playing to the right.
Lazio have a corner, where we could see the first chance of the second half.
It comes to nothing, and Roma win a free kick on the edge of the box.
This second half has carried on in the same fashion the first half finished; lots of fouls and no real goalmouth action.
Mauri, Gonzalez and Floccari are all warming up for Lazio.
LAZIO CHANGE Mauri is about to come on for Lazio after Ledesma is forced off on a stretcher. He looked as if he hyper-extended his leg, and it looked nasty.
CHANCE! Lulic turns away from his man on the right before curling in a ball to the far post with his left foot. Candreva is racing to bundle the ball into the back of the net, but he cannot quite stretch far enough.
Personally, I think it is amazing that we have gone 12 minutes of this second half without a yellow card yet. Must be the longest period without one the game.
CHANCE! Totti comes close to giving his side the lead. The move starts with a free kick close to the halfway line which he spreads wide to the left, the ball is laid of by Pizzaro on the edge of the box to Totti, but his effort doesn't dip enough and sails over the bar.
Roma have a free kick from a long way out which has Totti written all over it. Sure enough, he takes a massive run up, but blasts his effort high and wide of goal.
CHANCE! Lazio come close to breaking the deadlock, Mauri volleys the ball back across the box and Klose is just fractions from making contact. So close there!
CHANCE! Roma immediately go up the other end and create an opportunity of their own, but Totti's low strike from just inside the box on the right is held by Marchetti.
CHANCE! Another chance for Roma, this time it is Destro who allows a Marquinhos cross to roll across his body before shooting into the chest of Marchetti.
GOAL! Roma 0-1 Lazio (Senad Lulic)
Finally a goal in this game! It's a scrappy one, but Lazio won't care. Candreva goes down the right of the box and fires a shot at Lobont. He saves the shot put can only push it to Lulic on the other side, who stabs the ball home to give Lazio the lead.
CHANCE! Wow! Almost an instant leveller. Totti's free kick causes havoc and is flicked on to the underside of the bar before Marchetti snatches it out of the air. Did it cross? I don't think so, but my word it was close.
YELLOW CARD Lulic is shown a yellow after holding the shirt of his man in a rather cynical fashion.
ROMA CHANGE Osvaldo on for Balzaretti.
ROMA CHANGE Dodo on for Marquinho. Lazio are readying a change.
LAZIO CHANGE Gonzalez comes on to replace Hernanes.
YELLOW CARD Burdisso is the latest to be booked, this time for dissent after a Dodo foul throw.
Just a few minutes for Roma to find their way back into this game.
We're awaiting stoppage time, and there cannot be much. Roma need to create something. Anything.
We'll have four minutes of added time. I'm guessing the goal and the Ledesma injury are the reason for that.
YELLOW CARD Totti is the latest man to go into the book. I think he has been penalised for dissent. He is having a right chinwag with the referee.
CHANCE! Lazio should have sealed the win there. Klose runs down the middle and takes the defenders with him. He then lays in Mauri down the left. His first shot is blocked before hit forces a save from Lobont on the follow up. It was straight at the stopper and that should have been a second goal.
30 seconds to go for Roma.
FULL TIME: Roma 0-1 Lazio
LAZIO WIN THE COPPA ITALIA
Well that's it, Lazio hold on to earn a sweet Coppa Italia victory over arch rivals Roma after a Lulic strike. Jubilant scenes for those in sky blue, despair for their opponents.
What a way to end the season for Lazio, they pick up the honours at the expense of Roma. They couldn't have planned it any better.
That's all from me, I hope you enjoyed the match. Enjoy the rest of your evening, good bye.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
