Baroni: ‘Criticism is part of the job' after Lazio pressure grows
Baroni: 'Criticism is part of the job' after Lazio pressure grows
Marco Baroni insists he is not under undue pressure from Lazio after a recent downturn in results, wanting his players to feel 'joy' against Torino. 'Criticism is part of the job.'
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT).
Advertisement
The Biancocelesti have slipped down the standings lately, managing only one victory in their last five Serie A games, fresh off a 5-0 defeat to Bologna.
Matias Vecino is suspended, with Taty Castellanos, Patric and Arijon Ibrahimovic out of action, plus Nuno Tavares carrying a muscular issue.
Following the heavy hammering to Bologna in what was a head-to-head for fourth place, director of sport Angelo Fabiani said the club was only 'moderately satisfied' with their coach, hinting his future might be in doubt.
'The club did not tell me anything,' insisted Baroni in his press conference.
'The President and I had lunch along with other people yesterday, we were together for 20 minutes. There is a daily meeting with the director, so nothing different. We are all concentrated on the next match.
Advertisement
'Criticism is part of the job and when it is objective, that can actually help us in our work. It is part of the growth process for everyone.'
Baroni has done better than expected at Lazio
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 16: SS Lazio head coach Marco Baroni during the Serie match between Lazio and Inter at Stadio Olimpico on December 16, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi –)
Lazio are still in the fight for a Champions League spot, as well as preparing for the Europa League quarter-final against Bodo/Glimt.
'We know full well that we have entered the most important part of the season, so we build on what we've done so far and will ensure we are ready,' added Baroni.
'The break for international duty was helpful, because there was some fatigue against Bologna, which was our seventh game in 20 days. Some lads will play over 60 games this season including international duty, so that must not be an alibi, but it has to be taken into account. I believe every difficulty also brings with it an opportunity.
Advertisement
'I could sit here and list many facts and figures, but they would seem like alibis and I don't want that. I prefer to boost the team's confidence. Victor on Monday is going to be fundamental, we know Torino have only lost one of their last 12 matches, so we need the best Lazio.'
Baroni always wants Lazio to enjoy their football and he reiterates that message after recent disappointing results.
'I have the experience to understand and deal with this situation, protecting the team. We must work aware of our journey and what we are going towards, but must never abandon our confidence and joy in facing these games.
'I never hide from reality, we must look it right in the eye without fear. That is what I mean when I talk about confidence, finding the determination, but also the joy of knowing we earned the opportunity to challenge for these targets,' concluded the coach.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Track Record-Setting West Acre Has Breeders' Cup Aspirations Via Royal Ascot
Track Record-Setting West Acre Has Breeders' Cup Aspirations Via Royal Ascot originally appeared on Paulick Report. Michael Blencowe's West Acre (IRE) will aim to cement his place among Europe's top sprinters when he lines up for the King Charles III Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 17 – a key fixture in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California. Trained by George Scott, 3-year-old West Acre has made rapid progress since his belated debut late last year. Despite missing most of his juvenile season with a setback, the son of Mehmas (IRE) has burst onto the scene with two Group victories in Dubai – most notably breaking the track record at Meydan in the Blue Point Sprint (G2) before following up in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) in March. Advertisement 'His racing career started late, because of an issue that he picked up as a young horse,' Scott said. 'As he went through the grades you could see him growing in confidence. He won the Blue Point really impressively; he'd probably had a harder race than we anticipated that day. He's come back now and he's fresh and well and looks like he's at the peak of his powers again.' Now freshened up and thriving at home in Newmarket, West Acre returns to British soil for the first time in 2025 and takes on a strong field in the King Charles III Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, where Scott had a winner last year with Victorious Racing's Isle of Jura (GB). 'We had a winner last year. We won the Hardwicke with Isle of Jura, we felt it was a big moment,' Scott said. 'You're instantly recognizable as a stable when you have success there. It's part of the growth as a young stable that you really need. We've got a team of horses going there this year. If we have a clear week with them in the build-up, we hope something might happen.' Scott is hopeful conditions will suit West Acre at Royal Ascot. 'Fast ground, strong pace, the track should really suit him,' he said. 'The weather looks like it is going to be dry next week, so we'd like a nice fast track to get him started back here on.' The race serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1), granting the winner an automatic fees-paid berth into the $1 million contest at Del Mar in November. Scott is no stranger to the meeting, having saddled the W J and T C O Gredley-owned James Garfield (IRE) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar in 2017. 'James Garfield was my first good horse and Frankie (Dettori) rode him in the Breeders' Cup,' Scott said. 'It didn't really get much better than that at the time. It certainly gave me the appetite to want to come back. So West Acre's season we'll see how it all pans out, but the plan is to end up at Del Mar with him.' Scott is a big supporter of the Breeders' Cup, enjoying his time in America and American racing. 'You've got that real international theme at the Breeders' Cup,' he said. 'I really enjoy the way the Breeders' Cup do things. They try to bring the best horses in the world together and in true American style it's bigger and better than anything else.' This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fans set for behind-the-scenes look at academy making big strides in documentary
THE Cherries are set to release a five-part documentary showcasing its academy. The Pathway will focus on the inner workings of the youth department in its second season at category two level, from the club's U16s to graduates earning their first team debuts. The documentary includes a special interview with former academy manager Joe Roach as it shows the work to produce the next senior debutant for AFC Bournemouth. Academy manager Sam Gisborne told 'There is such a vast array of things that happen every day in the academy. It's just a real insight into the people that work in there, and how we work. 🎥 The Pathway – our academy documentary – drops 11th June. Witness the future in the making 🍿 — AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) June 9, 2025 'Because it can be quite a closed-door thing in an academy, it's nice to give the supporters of AFC Bournemouth an insight into what we do. 'Even though there are five episodes, it's a small snapshot of what happens every year. There's no better season to pick than this season because we have really developed continuously. 'This season, we have probably made more strides than we ever have, in terms of being the academy we want to be. 'You also get a historical moment of Joe Roach in one of the episodes. Joe worked for us for 21 years and built a lot of the processes we follow, a lot of the rules we have. You will see the standards we set every day and they are probably what Joe instilled. 'Overall, the one thing I want fans to take away is how much goes on, how much good work there is and how many good people there are looking after the young players from the south coast, trying to make the next AFC Bournemouth first-team player.' Episode one of the documentary will be available to watch at 4pm on Wednesday, June 11 via afcbTV and the club's YouTube channel. Episodes will be released every two days thereafter.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘No need to panic', insists Tuchel after England slump to Senegal defeat
Thomas Tuchel insisted England should not panic over their World Cup prospects despite being humbled by Senegal one year and one day before the tournament starts. Tuchel suffered the first defeat of his reign at the City Ground and England their first loss to African opposition in 22 matches as Senegal ran out deserving 3-1 winners. Jude Bellingham had a goal controversially disallowed at 2-1 but, after the laboured win against Andorra in World Cup qualifying on Saturday, there was no disguising the paucity of England's latest performance under their German coach. England were booed off for the second game in succession. Advertisement Related: Cheikh Sabaly's clincher condemns England to sobering defeat by Senegal The England head coach, however, insisted improvement would come and it was premature to worry about the World Cup one year in advance. 'We lost a test match so there is no need to panic,' said Tuchel. 'We have three qualification games, we have nine points, we have not conceded and we will be competitive in September and we will go for two more victories, 100%. We know more now, we are smarter. It is tough at the moment. I am the first one to dislike and hate losses but we don't go next week, we go in one year and I think by nature it will get more competitive in the nomination process and in the demands for players to be nominated and to be with us in September, October, November because we are in a World Cup season.' Tuchel defended his decision to leave Ivan Toney on the bench until the 88th minute, explaining the striker was at his best inside the box and England were not close enough to it when he brought on Morgan Rogers instead. But he conceded the defeat, plus two poor performances, would leave a bad feeling throughout the summer. Advertisement The England head coach said: 'Now we go into a long break with a bad feeling and a loss which is simply not nice and not what we wanted. I will never be glad for a loss. I'm glad for a tough test and challenges. We wanted to feel the quality of a top-20 team and we felt their quality. We felt what it means to them. I heard them in the dressing room before the match, I heard them in the dressing room after the match so I know how much it means to them to play against us. How much joy they expressed if they make this happen. 'It's the right thing to test, the right thing to challenge. Of course we demand a lot of ourselves and I demand more of myself, we wanted to play better against Andorra, and do better today. It is a tough learning.'
