Inzaghi warns Lazio: We´ll have to be perfect to stop Juventus

Lazio will need to be perfect if they are to overcome familiar foes Juventus and lift the Supercoppa Italiana, according to Simone Inzaghi.

The meeting between the reigning Serie A champions and the holders of the Coppa Italia takes place in Riyadh on Sunday, with the top-flight rivals doing battle in the one-off contest for a fourth time in seven years.

Lazio won the previous Supercoppa clash in 2017, while they are also the only opponents to defeat Maurizio Sarri’s team this season, overturning a first-half deficit to prevail 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico at the start of the month.

However, while they can take confidence from that recent result, head coach Inzaghi is well aware of the size of the task for his players at the King Saud University Stadium.

“We are facing a team that has a great amount of capacity, intensity, and quality. I have told my team that we must remain concentrated,” Inzaghi told the media.

“It won’t be like a league game. You play for a trophy in one night. You can’t make any mistakes because you have two teams that can hurt each other at any time.

“Juventus have great qualities. We will have to be very focused. In the league game, we conceded just the one goal.

“There is obviously no certainty of winning. We have confidence in our work. We face a team that has won the last eight league titles, so we will need the perfect game.”

Our most dramatic Italian Super Cup ever? 

A last-gasp @Trezegoldavid equaliser 

5-3 penalty shoot-out decided by @OfficialCiro #SupercoppaItaliana pic.twitter.com/eXV7gEQcr5

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) December 20, 2019

Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Juve in the most recent clash with Lazio, the Portugal forward’s strike part of a productive December in terms of goals.

The 34-year-old was on target twice last weekend against Udinese before producing a sensational headed finish in the midweek win over Sampdoria, with that result putting them three points clear of Inter at the top of the table.

“He is a champion who can change the game at any time,” Inzaghi said of Ronaldo.

“We have to be on guard, knowing that, on paper, Juve have greater potential. However, all that matters is what happens on the pitch.”