Nesta delight at derby goal

Friday 23 January, 2004

Alessandro Nesta has admitted that his goal against Roma on Thursday was special
given his past as a Lazio player.

The Milan stopper scored the opener in the 2-1 Coppa Italia win last night which
saw the Giallorossi dumped out of the competition.

"That goal had a particular value for me," he said. "It was very important and i
t was just great to score at the Stadio Olimpico."

The Azzurri international left the capital in the summer of 2002 due to Lazio旧
financial problems ?ending his nine-year love affair with the Biancocelesti.

He'll now be facing them in the semi-finals of Italian Cup after they defeated P
arma earlier this week.                          

He'll now be facing them in the semi-finals of Italian Cup after they defeated P
arma earlier this week.

"I観 very happy with the way Milan are playing right now," he added. "I really w
anted us to go through to the last four."

One man that isn急 content with the semi-final line up is Lazio boss Roberto Man
cini. "A Rome derby would have perhaps been more fascinating," he claimed.

"It will be tough to play Milan. They are the European Champions and showed thei
r power against Roma.

"They fielded a second string line-up but it was so strong that those players wo
uld secure a top four finish in the League. It旧 going to be very hard for us."