Hello Italian football fans and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of a crucial match at both end of the Serie A table. Lazio have stuttered in recent weeks and need a win to move above AC Milan to third place in the table. Siena have improved dramatically in 2013 and are aiming to secure a third consecutive home victory.
Although Lazio are fighting for silverware in two cup competitions they have struggled in the league since losing top scorer
Miroslav Klose through injury.
Sergio Floccari and
Libor Kozak both scored in the Europa League last week and are under pressure to deliver in Tuscany tonight.
Siena look a different side under new boss
Beppe Iachini in 2013 and have taken seven points from their last four matches. The Robur can move off the bottom of the table and to within a point of safety with victory tonight. With high stakes at both ends of the table tonight's match is last but certainly not least in a busy weekend of Serie A action.
BREAKING TEAM NEWS: The starting XI's are in at Artemio Franchi and Lazio have gone with an attacking lineup in an effort to end their run of four league games without a win.
Lazio have decided to partner Floccari and Kozak in attack following their impressive display in Thursday's 3-3 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. Kozak has endured a tough time this season and is yet to score in Serie A despite netting seven times in the Europa League. Floccari is a tireless worker and has endeared himself to the Lazio fans with his work ethic in recent months.
SIENA: Pegolo, Teixeira, Terlizzi, Felipe, Belmonte, Vergassola, Della Rocca, Rubin, Rosina, Sestu, Emeghera
LAZIO: Marchetti, Konko, Brava, Ciani, Radu, Candreva, Gonzalez, Hernanes, Lulic, Floccari, Kozak
Lazio have decided to partner Floccari and Kozak in attack following their impressive display in Thursday's 3-3 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. Kozak has endured a tough time this season and has yet to score in Serie A despite netting seven times in the Europa League. Floccari is a tireless runner and has endeared himself to the Lazio fans with his work ethic in recent months.
The home side will line up in a compact 4-5-1 formation, with
Innocent Emeghara playing in a lone striking role. January signing
Nicola Pozzi continues his wait for a first Siena start while Brazilian forward
Angelo is out through injury.
The Aquile cannot use their Europa League exploits as an excuse to let their standards slip against Siena tonight according to their coach Petkovic. In his pre-match press conference the veteran said that his side will need to play "at 120% of their potential" to beat a resurgent Siena this evening.
Siena boss Iachini was in bullish mood ahead of Lazio's visit and has insisted that his strugglers are capable of taking all three points.
He said: "We are getting tighter and tighter and the performance levels have always been good even when we've not got the results. I repeat, we are starting to see an organised team that shows great personality in games. We can cause Lazio problems."
There is just time before kickoff for me to offer a prediction in a tough game to call in Tuscany. Lazio are under pressure to stop their Champions League charge form unravelling and I think the visitors can win their first league game for six weeks tonight.
Hernanes is due a good performance and I think he can spearhead a 2-1 win for the Eagles.
Both sides are late to take the field on a cold night in Tuscany. Lazio traditionally struggle to beat Siena away from home and have won just once in their last eight visits to the Franchi.
Siena get us underway and are quickly on the counter as Emeghara clashes with Konko in a full-blooded challenge. That could be a sign of things in a classic match between pace and power in defence and attack.
GOAL! Siena 1-0 Lazio (Emeghara)
Emeghara has wasted no time on making his mark on the match to put Siena ahead against a stunned Lazio. The striker caught the visitors napping at the far post to send home a bullet header from Matteo Rubin's cross. What a start for the side battling against relegation!
Lazio try to mount a quick response through Antonio Candreva but the midfielder's strike from range is swell saved by Pegolo. The Eagles have now conceded four goals in their last 60 minute of competitive football. With all the focus on replacing
Miroslav Klose's goal a normally stable defence has started to make mistakes consistently and Petkovic has problems in both positions.
Floccari and Kozak have their first chance to link up but the Czech striker fails to read his teammates pass after some quick thinking from Hernanes put the ball in a dangerous area. Lazio need their Brazilian playmaker to find form and create chances tonight or they will lose ground on AC Milan in the fight for Champions League football.
YELLOW CARD! Lazio defender Ciani has received the first caution of the match for barging Rosina out of play in a wide area. The dimuntive forward had raced beyond Ciani, giving the referee little choice but to brandish a yellow card.
Marchetti is shouting furiously at his faltering defence as some slack defending gives Siena two consecutive corner kicks. The experienced keeper has been in fine form recently but the same cannot be said for the rest of his side.
Siena are pressing high up the pitch and winning possession with alarming regularity in central midfield. Just a reminder that the Tuscan strugglers will jump from 20th to 18th with a victory this evening.
SAVE! Rosina finds some space out wide and cuts inside Biava before sending a powerful low shot wide of the far post.
GOAL! Siena 2-0 Lazio (Rosina)
Lazio are still fast asleep at the back and have paid a heavy price to fall two goals behind. Rosina is rewarded for another driving run beyond his full-back to steal in at the far post and score with a neat fining from close range. The side bottom of the table are now beating fourth place by two goals before the half-hour mark. Just incredible!
Siena fully merit their impressive early advantage after a blistering start but what can Lazio do now to turn the tide? The visitors have missed
Stefano Mauri's presence in central midfield and have been unable to exert any pressure in the final third thus far.
SHOT! Lazio finally force Pegolo to make a save as Candreva drives from deep before unleashing a dipping shot from 20 yards out. Luckily for Siena although powerfully struck Candreva's effort was straight at Pegolo, allowing the keepr to punch clear with two hands.
LAZIO SUSBTITUTION: Petkovic decides to make an early change and swaps Ciani for Bruno Pereirinha. The towering defender was at fault both both goals and does not appear to be injured as he leaves the pitch to be replaced by the Portuguese midfielder.
Premier League fans will recognise a familiar name warming up for Lazio this evening in
Louis Saha. The French striker arrived in Rome last week on a five-month deal and at this rate he will introduced quickly in search of a goal to make the match a contest.
While Lazio made that change Czech forward Kozak has been bandaged up after sustaining a cut to the top of his head. He is back on the pitch wearing a string bandage that looks rather ridiculous as he continues to search for his first Serie A goal this season.
Siena have retreated slightly deeper in the last five minutes but still look a threat on the counter. Lazio have changed shape slightly to accommodate Pereirinha but still cannot provide any service to a frustrated Floccari at this stage.
Lazio send a hopeful cross into Kozak but his looping header at goal is easily caught by Pegolo. That is the first time the visitors have sent any kind of service to their forward in a line in a dismal first-half display.
Lulic is playing deeper to fill the void left by Ciani and looks uncomfortable as he concedes a corner late in the first half. Lazio finally get it right at the back to clear quickly and play Floccari through with a long ball. The striker controls at pace but decides to cut inside and is eventually crowded out by three Siena defenders.
HALF-TIME Siena 2-0 Lazio
A shaky start from Lazio has gifted Siena an important advantage at the break in their battle to beat the drop. Emeghara got the home side off to a perfect start after six minutes, scoring a powerful to net his third goal in as many matches. The excellent Rossina put Siena 2-0 up soon after with a near finish at the near post.
Siena were superb in the early stages and got dangerous crosses in from the outset to profit from a sloppy Lazio defence. Matteo Rubin deserves credit for the home side after providing two assists in the opening half with a pair of pinpoint deliveries.
Lazio were woeful in the first 30 minutes and Petkovic decided to make a change in personnel and formation after their shocking start. Ciani was at fault for both Siena goals and was replaced as punishment before the break.
The visitors have struggled to create chances for their front two in Tuscany, with Hernanes and Lulic largely anonymous in the first 45 minutes. Candreva has tried to drive his team forward and forced Pegolo into a solitary save with a shot from range after Siena's second goal.
You can see with tonight's performance how Siena have won their last two home games, claiming the scalps of Inter Milan and Sampdoria in quick succession. The Black and Whites have shown intensity and passion to stun Lazio and are just 45 minutes away from leaving the foot of Serie A!
Petkovic will come into question if Lazio fail to turn this match around in the second half. His decision to start with a back three tonight proved to be disasterous as Siena exploited the flanks with pace and accurate crosses for both goals. The visitors have reverted to a back four but is it too little too late?
Lazio quickly establish possession after the break as Hernanes finds Pereirinha with a fine diagonal pass. Siena clear the midfielder's cross but eventually concede a free kick just outside their own penalty area.
Candreva is elected to take but the Italian midfielder can only send a wayward drive high over the crossbar with a strike that just about sums up Lazio's trip to Tuscany so far.
Siena have dropped at least 10 yards deeper as a unit and will look to hit Emeghara on the counter and hold onto their two-goal advantage. Luckily for the visitors Lazio have shown little creative flair and at this moment don't look capable of breaking down the home side once let alone twice!
Lazio look scared of Emeghara's pace on the break as the Nigerian-born forward comes within inches of meeting another precise Rubin pass before Marchetti's timely interception.
Hernanes has the chance to send in a dangerous cross with a free kick from 30 yards but can only punt an aimless cross to Pegolo. The Siena keeper still decides on safety first and punches clear to concede an unnecessary corner.
Floccari does well to meet a high Konko pass but his layoff is met by a poor first touch from Candreva and a small chance goes begging for the visitors.
GOAL! Siena 3-0 (Emeghara)
Out of nothing Emeghara has his second and surely Siena are home and dry now. Francesco Valiani has been on the field less than 30 seconds but his header is met by the Emeghara, who takes advantage of a mix-up between Marhcetti and Biava to put the basement boys 3-0 ahead. Lazio have been nothing short of pathetic in defence tonight to leave their Champions League chase in trouble.
Emeghara looks a real talent on tonight's showing and now has four goals in his last three games. The 23-year-old has been at Siena less than a month but has already proved to be an instant hit in Tuscany and is firing the club off the bottom of the table tonight!
YELLOW CARD! Pereirinha becomes the second yellow Lazio player to be cautioned after barging Emeghara to the floor in frustration.
SUBSTITUTION: Louis Saha comes on for his second Serie A appearance in place of Candreva. The French forward has 20 minutes to get his first Lazio goal and provide the travelling fans with a glimmer of hope.
Siena are continuing to frustrate the visitors by keeping possession with a neat exchange passes. Alessandro Rossina is impressing out wide with a clever touch and awareness of the space around him. The 29-year-old is challenging Emeghara for man-of-the-match honours tonight with an efficient display.
Kozak looks thoroughly fed up as blood continues to seep from his bandaged head. The Czech striker tries to meet a low cross from Gonzales but is unable to make proper contact or force Pegolo to make a save.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Siena bring off double goalscorer Emeghara to a brilliant reception from the home fans after a clinical display. On comes Albanian striker Bogdani to lead the line. Lazio have also made their final change to give Ederson his first appearance since December in place of Floccari.
SAVE! Pegolo is forced to make his best save of the night from a curling Gonzales free kick. The Siena keeper turns it round the post with a flying save high to his right.
OFF THE BAR! Ederson has just come within inches of scoring for Lazio with his first touch of the match. The Brazilian lashed a shot at goal from distance and his swerving drive took a nick off the crossbar on its way over Pegolo, who was beaten by the well-struck effort.
Lazio are attempting to mount a response but still cannot create any cleat-cut chances in the box for a frustrated forward line. Juventus manager Antonio Conte is in attendance at the Franchi tonight and his side are next to face Siena at the weekend.
Siena are happy to let the visitors have possession and Lazio nearly take advantage through Ederson, who heads straight at Pegolo despite being completely unmarked in the penalty area. A rare lapse in concentration for the home side there that Lazio really should have profited from.
SHOT! Lulic takes his turn to strike from range after cutting inside from the left but his shot goes well over the bar and is probably wide of the near post to boot. Saha shows Lulic how to do it less than a minute later with a powerful low strike that dips just wide of Pegolo's near post.
Lazio's next away match is a trip to the San Siro to face Champions League rivals AC Milan. The two sides are separated only by goal difference and the match in two weeks will go a long way to deciding who plays in Europe's premier competition next season. Petkovic's side will be without a win in five matches when the full-time whistle goes in Tuscany.
FULL-TIME Siena 3-0 Lazio
What an incredible result in Tuscany tonight as Siena demolish a lifeless Lazio to win their third home match in a row. Innocent Emeghara was the architect, scoring in either half to move the Black and Whites off the foot of Serie A.
Lazio's struggles in Serie A continue as they missed out on the chance to overtake AC Milan and move third in the table. Tonight's result could prove to be a real season-changer at both ends of the table in Italy.
That just about does it for tonight's coverage as a crazy weekend of results in Serie A comes to a close. Thanks for joining us at Sports Mole and goodnight!