Ciro Immobile brace guides Lazio to win at Udinese

Ciro Immobile scored twice as Lazio won 3-0 at Udinese to move third in Serie A.

Udinese had made a bright start, with Panagiotis Kone sending the ball across the six-yard box.

Lazio took the lead in the 28th minute when Immobile headed in at the near post.

Udinese pressed for an equaliser and Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul flash a 25-yard effort wide.

The visitors, though, doubled the lead nine minutes into the second half when 

AC Milan grab share of second in Serie A with victory over Lazio

Resurgent AC Milan took a share of second place in the Serie A table by beating Lazio 2-0 at San Siro.

A first-half goal from Carlos Bacca and M'Baye Niang's 73rd-minute penalty delivered a second straight win for Vincenzo Montella's Rossoneri, who are now level on points with champions Juventus.

Despite suffering a second loss of the new season, Lazio remain three points behind leaders Napoli.

Lazio carved out the first chance of the game with 17-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma reacting well to make...

Lazio visit all 11 season-ticket buyers ahead of new season

Lazio president Claudio Lotito and members of the Serie A team paid 11 fans a visit on Wednesday evening to thank them in person for buying a season ticket for the 2016-17 campaign.

Fans bought just 11 season tickets on the opening day of sale last month. Those who had put their faith in the team were given more than they bargained for, though, with a special gift delivered to each one of them.

In a marketing exercise that also saw the Biancocelesti launch their new away kit for the upcoming season, Ciro Immobile, Marco Parolo, Federico Marchetti, Stefan de Vrij, Wesley Hoedt and Lotito were among club members who knocked on the doors of those 11 fans to deliver them a free shirt.

Their campaign was documented by the club's official Twitter account with the hashtag #11SiamoUnaSquadra -- #11WeAreOneTeam -- referring to the 11 individuals who had pledged their support to Simone Inzaghi's men.

The former Chile and Athletic Bilbao coach has sensationally walked away from the Biancoceleste a matter of days after being confirmed for their dugout

Marcelo Bielsa has resigned as Lazio's coach just two days after being appointed by the club, it was anounced on Friday.

The Biancoceleste confirmed on Wednesday that the ex-Chile coach was due to take up the reins, releasing an official statement of his appointment.

However, in a sensational turn and after days of reports he was having doubts over a move to the Italian capital, it emerged Bielsa walked away from the job.

Lazio had confirmed the 60-year-old and his staff would be in Rome on Saturday to lead pre-season training but his arrival at Formello, Lazio's training ground, kept being postponed.

Ex-striker, Primavera coach and last term's interim boss Simone Inzaghi is set to temporarily re-assume the role of head coach in the dugout as the outfit weigh up their next options amidst the chaos.

"We acknowledge with astonishment the resignation of Marcelo Bielsa, inclusive of his collaborators, in blatant violation of the deal agreed via the contracts signed last week and lawfully deposited with the Lega and the FIGC, according to all the related procedures,” a club statement read.

“The club reserves the right to take all actions that will protect its rights, and hands the leadership of the team during the preparatory training to Simone Inzaghi.”

Early speculation has suggested Gerardo Martino's decision to step down as Argentina coach may have prompted countryman Bielsa, who previously coached the national team from 1998 to 2004, to reconsider his next move. 

Miroslav Klose ends Lazio career on a high despite uncertain future

Miroslav Klose celebrated his last game as a Lazio player with a goal to equal the club's best ever haul by a foreigner but said he still had some regret.

Former Germany forward Klose, 37, admitted he would have liked to have stayed with the Eternal City club for another season after netting his 64th goal for the Biancocelesti -- the same number as Macedonian forward Goran Pandev -- but he said the option was never even given to him.

"I'm overwhelmed by emotion," Klose told reporters in the mixed zone after a4-2 defeat at home to Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday evening.

"It's all so beautiful. I've joined Pandev, and it's an honour since I know him. Lazio will always have a place in my heart and I will never forget the fans' affection.

"I don't know what I will do next. I've told my agent that I just want to enjoy myself right now and then we will evaluate what to do next."

Asked if Lazio tried to keep him, he replied: "Absolutely not. They never spoke to me. I can't do everything by myself. It's not as if I decided to leave."

Speaking to Lazio Channel, Klose did not rule out returning to the club one day "hopefully not in opposition as a player, but maybe as a coach."

He added: "Life's so beautiful that you can't rule it out. I've got plenty of time to think what to do in future so we'll see. I still want to play and I'm sure we'll find the right solution with my family."

Klose scored from the penalty spot but admitted to Sky Sport that he did not even want to take the penalty, with Lazio trailing 4-1.

"It was the fans who wanted me to take it," he said. "Normally it's not my job. They put a bit of pressure on me, but I didn't miss it. It was so emotional and I have learnt a lot in my five years here. I remember my goal in the derby in the last second, or the Coppa Italia that we won.

"I'll be keeping a great deal of memories in my mind. It was a pleasure to wear this shirt -- truly spectacular."

Felipe Anderson: Lazio can match anybody after Inzaghi appointment

Lazio forward Felipe Anderson has said he believes Lazio can look forward to a positive end to the season following the appointment of Simone Inzaghi.

Inzaghi, who has said European qualification is not beyond the club, was appointed in succession to Stefano Pioli after the recent derby defeat to Roma.

Brazilian forward Anderson came off the bench to net Lazio's third goal, his first for two months, in a 3-0 win over Palermo in Inzaghi's first game in charge.

"I know him well and he wants all of his players to give it everything," Anderson told Lazio Style Radio.

"He tries to support you when you get things wrong, and we can only do well with him.

"This game helps us realise where we can go and what our objectives can be. We've got quality, and we showed that.

"It's been a positive week, and we can finish the season off with some good results. We can match anybody and get as many points as possible."

The comprehensive win took Lazio to within four points of sixth-placed AC Milan -- a position that would bring a place in the Europa League should Juventus win the Coppa Italia next month.

Inzaghi told RAI television: "Of course we believe we can do it.

"Europe is still our objective because football is unpredictable. We don't have an easy run of fixtures, but we need to win as many as we can."

Sampdoria 2-1 Lazio

Emiliano Viviano saved a first-half penalty as Sampdoria rallied from behind to beat Lazio 2-1 and reach 40 points for the Serie A season.

Filip Djordjevic's third-minute strike meant Samp faced an uphill battle to win at their own Stadio Luigi Ferraris and Fernando made life easier for them by equalising in the 20th minute.

Lazio won a penalty just before half-time but Antonio Candreva was denied by Viviano, the former Arsenal goalkeeper.

In the 79th minute Modibo Diakite was in the right place at the right time to divert the ball past Federico Marchetti when Matias Silvestre took aim.

UEFA opens investigation into Lazio fans' alleged racist behaviour

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Lazio after alleged "racist behaviour" from their fans disrupted a Europa League meeting with Sparta Prague.

The Serie A side were playing the Czech Republic outfit on Thursday night when a section of supporters appeared to aim racist chants at Sparta's Zimbabwean defender Costa Nhamoinesu.

A statement from UEFA revealed Lazio had been cited for their "racist behaviour" and "illicit chants" in the Czech capital, and that a disciplinary body 

would deal with the case on March 22.

The last-16 tie, which ended 1-1 in Prague, had to be suspended during the first half as a warning was broadcast to travelling Italian fans.

Lazio have already been sanctioned for their supporters' discriminatory behaviour during Europa League games in 2013 and domestic matches have also been marred by incidents of racism.

A league meeting with Napoli was almost abandoned in February as a number of home fans aimed abuse at Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly. The club were hit with a partial stadium ban.

Fiorentina miss out on top spot with loss to Lazio

iorentina missed the chance to go top of Serie A as Lazio battled to a 3-1 win at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, where there was a late flurry of stoppage-time goals.

The Viola went into Saturday's match only a point off leaders Inter Milan, who host Sassuolo on Sunday, and ahead of Napoli on goal difference.

However, aspirations of being crowned Campione d'Inverno at the half-way stage of the campaign failed to materialise as Lazio marked the club's 116th anniversary with only a second league win in 10 games.

Keita's late first-half goal looked to have been enough for a hard-earned victory for the visitors, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic -- who could have signed for Fiorentina in summer --made it 2-0 at the start of six minutes of added time.

Viola defender Facundo Roncaglia immediately reduced the deficit when a speculative long-range effort squirmed under Lazio keeper Etrit Berisha, before substitute Felipe Anderson -- a reported Manchester United target -- then swept home a third on the break for the Biancocelesti.

After a promising start from the home side, it was Lazio - defending an impressive away record in Florence -- who grew in confidence as Milinkovic-Savic's looping header was cleared off the line, before Keita netted with a low, 18-yard drive in first-half stoppage time.

There was a delay midway through the second half after Fiorentina midfielder Milan Badelj fell awkwardly and had to be carried off on a stretcher.

Fiorentina defender Marcos Alonso's header was cleared from under the crossbar and Giuseppe Rossi was twice denied by Albanian stopper Berisha before the stoppage-time goal spree.