Caicedo fires resurgent Lazio into CL contention
ROME: Felipe Caicedo scored from the spot as Lazio moved fourth and into the Champions League places on Thursday with a 1-0 win over struggling Empoli in Serie A.
Ecuadorian international Caicedo forced a penalty just before the break and converted from the spot for his second goal in as many games, as Lazio warmup for their Europa League tie against Sevilla and a Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan.
The Roman side had lost ground after back-to-back defeats to Juventus and Napoli but after last week’s win over Frosinone have now 38 points from 23 games, overtaking AC Milan who drop two points behind in fifth before they play Cagliari tomorrow.
Behind runaway leaders Juventus, who have 60 points from 22 games, and second-placed Napoli, nine points behind, the remaining two tickets for the Champions League and the Europa League berths remain up for grabs with 10 teams in the running.
Inter Milan, in third, are still looking for their first win of 2019 after being held by Sassuolo and defeats against Torino and Bologna with no goals scored.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have 40 points, but are now just two ahead of Lazio. MADRID: Thibaut Courtois left Chelsea on bad terms last summer and he expects to feel the anger from Atletico Madrid too when he faces them in the white of Real Madrid today.
Courtois developed into one of the world’s finest goalkeepers during three years on loan at Atletico but he will be up against his former club, and Chelsea teammate Alvaro Morata, in what could prove a pivotal city derby this weekend.
Real arrive on the back of four La Liga wins on the bounce and will jump above their opponents with a win at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico have fallen six points adrift of Barcelona and are attempting to stay in touch.
For Courtois, a reunion with Diego Simeone’s side is not new — he faced them twice for Chelsea in the Champions League last season and again at the Santiago Bernabeu in September — but this will be his first experience in front of the Atletico fans, in the colours of Real Madrid.
“It happens in football, it’s a derby and a derby here in Madrid is always heated,” Courtois said.
“They’ll whistle and shout, everything you would expect, it’s part of football. I will always respect them. Now I’m playing for the other side.”
Courtois helped Atletico crack the duopoly of Barca and Real by winning La Liga in 2014, while also lifting the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Super Cup during his time at the club.
“There are still a lot of players that I know there, the goalkeeping coach, coaches, they’re all still the same,” Courtois said.
“It’s still a special match, I respect the fans and the club a lot, in the end they gave me the opportunity to play when I was just 19 years old. I only have good memories.”
Courtois’ season has taken a similar trajectory to his team’s. There was a shakey start, when Julen Lopetegui rotated him with Keylor Navas, before a clear improvement, with Courtois now established as Santiago Solari’s first choice.
Madrid have steadily gained momentum under Solari too and, despite a dip at the start of the year, have found their rhythm in recent weeks.
“I feel good now. It takes a little time to settle and to fully understand the team but it’s going very well now,” Courtois said.
“If we want to narrow the gap and win trophies, this is the month when we have to be at our best.”
Like Courtois, Morata pushed hard for a return to Spain and was granted his wish last month, after his form had plummetted at Chelsea. Eden Hazard could be next, with the 28-year-old expected to follow Courtois to Real in the summer.
“Eden is a great player, one of the best players in the world,” Courtois said.
“He is a great friend of mine and if he comes here I would be very happy but at Chelsea, he’s a god there too.”
After eight league wins in a row, Barcelona have now drawn against Valencia and Real in the Copa del Rey.
They face a tricky trip to Athletic Bilbao tomorrow but Ernesto Valverde was hopeful on Wednesday that Lionel Messi would be fit to play at San Mames.
Messi came off the bench in the second half against Real but the Argentinian could return, along with Ousmane Dembele, who has recovered from an ankle injury.