Petkovic hails ´legend´ Zeman

Lazio coach Vladimir Petkovic has revealed his admiration for Roma’s Zdenek Zeman as the two teams prepare for their derby clash this weekend.

The Bosnian, who has only just started plying his trade in Serie A, had nothing but high praise for the veteran Czech trainer, who has been an important part of Italian football for almost three decades.

“Zeman is a legend in Italy and I was always aware of his success when I was working in Switzerland. So many good things have been said about him and he is well known all over Europe,” Petkovic said at a press conference.

“The derby will be more like a cup final than a regular game. The pressure will keep growing until kick-off, but it feels good to be in charge and to manage my team in a game like this.”

The Lazio coach went on to say that the game will be an amazing sporting event for the players and the fans.

“It is a shame that we cannot spend time soaking up the atmosphere and see the derby from the fans view but it is amazing to just be part of such a great spectacle,” Petkovic said.

“We will have to be mentally sharp if we want to win because Roma have had more time to rest. However, there are no favourites in a derby.”