"Roma need team effort"

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti says his players will need a huge group effort to make up for the absence of Francesco Totti and win the Rome derby against Lazio on Sunday. Totti fractured his ankle during last weekend's 1-0 win against Empoli. Follow all th

That result lifted Roma to fourth on 51 points, 16 behind leaders Juventus, and equalled the record of 10 consecutive Serie A wins, a feat last achieved by Bologna in the 1963-64 season.

A win against arch-rivals Lazio would set a new record of 11 consecutive victories.

"To get through a moment like this everyone is going to have to give something extra," Spalletti was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

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"Totti is our best player and when someone of his class is missing you need to make up for it with a strong team spirit."

FOOTBALL 2005-2006 Serie A Roma Totti

Image credit: Reuters

The player on whom expectations will weigh most heavily is Totti's replacement, Vincenzo Montella, who has only recently come back from a long injury layoff.

His team mates will try to block out their captain's absence, a near-impossible task considering the blanket coverage the story has been given by the Italian media.

Reports have covered everything from Totti's first request after waking up from the anaesthetic -pizza- to the tearful apology of the Empoli defender who tackled him and the bedside visits of Italy coach Marcello Lippi and the country's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

MOTIVATION NOT A PROBLEM

Roma's veteran midfielder Damiano Tommasi argued that he and his team mates would not lack motivation.

"We'll want to continue to get good results so that Francesco can take part in the team's successes at the end of the season.

"I'm optimistic because our recent run has given us a belief in ourselves - a winning mentality - and that's the way we've got to keep going."

Totti's absence will favour Roma's arch-rivals on Sunday, though Lazio striker Paolo Di Canio denied he was pleased to be playing a weakened side.

"I'll miss him; and whoever knows me well knows that it's true," he said.

FOOTBALL 2005-2006 Serie A Parma Di Canio

Image credit: EFE

"I'll miss him. I would always prefer to win the derby with him on the pitch because he represents Roma."

Even with Totti in the team, Roma would need to be in form to beat Lazio, who are unbeaten at the Olympic Stadium this season and still in with a chance of a UEFA Cup place after defeating fifth-placed Fiorentina 2-1 in their last game.

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