Stadio Olimpico is the venue as Lazio and Inter Milan go head-to-head in a mouth-watering Serie A showdown on Saturday afternoon. Simone Inzaghi, who swapped allegiances in the summer, will go up against his ex-employers as the Nerazzurri hope to maintain their solid start to the season.
Inter came from behind to defeat Sassuolo 2-1 at the Mapei Stadium on the eve of the international break. Going into this matchday, they sit four points adrift of Serie A pacesetters Napoli and can ill-afford a slip-up here if they are to stay within touching distance of high-flying Luciano Spalletti’s side.
In the meantime, the international break couldn’t have come at a better moment for Lazio, who fell to a horrendous 3-0 away defeat to Bologna last time out. They have all but a superior goal difference to seventh-placed Juventus to thank for heading into proceedings in sixth.
Lazio vs Inter Milan Head-to-Head
Lazio failed to beat Inter Milan in both last season’s Serie A encounters (W1, D1), losing at half-time ‘to nil’ on each occasion. By extension, since the start of the 2016/17 season, the Biancocelesti have won just two of their ten top-flight meetings with this opposition (D2, L6), scoring one goal or less eight times in the process.
Lazio fans’ concerns about their side’s chances of prevailing here are not unfounded. After racking up four consecutive Serie A home wins over Inter, they have picked up just seven points of their last 21 available at home against them in the competition (W2, D1, L4).
Regardless of which side of the spectrum of supporting these sides you stand on, we could have an entertaining, high-scoring affair on our hands here. Indeed, four of the last five Serie A encounters between Lazio and Inter in the capital have featured 3+ total goals, highlighting the potential for action-packed football on Saturday.
Lazio Form Preview
Maurizio Sarri had got his managerial career at Lazio off to a flying start, brushing aside the likes of Empoli and Spezia by an aggregate score of 9-1 in the opening two Serie A matchdays. However, he has since overseen his side suffer a considerable nosedive, with the Biancocelesti winning just one of their subsequent five league games (D2, L2), courtesy of a handsomely-looking 3-2 victory over bitter rivals Roma.
Despite blowing hot and cold over the past few weeks, Lazio can draw confidence from their status as a ‘superpower’ at the Stadio Olimpico. Since falling to a 2-1 defeat to Hellas Verona in December 2020, they have turned themselves into a force to be reckoned with, going unbeaten in 16 consecutive Serie A outings at home (W14, D2).
In addition to winning two of their three top-flight home matches this season (D1), the hosts have netted a staggering 11 goals across those encounters. Delivering action from the get-go, Sarri’s men have scored a league joint-high six first-half goals at home this term. Lazio’s intimidating goalscoring return on home soil waxes lyrical about their hopes of beating Inter for the first time since February 2020.
Player to watch: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
With all due respect to ever-present Ciro Immobile, Serbia international Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has been Lazio’s driving force this season. The coveted midfielder has bagged two goals and delivered a pair of assists across his inaugural seven Serie A appearances.
Seeking his 50th competitive goal for Lazio, Milinkovic-Savic will be looking to improve his impressive four-goal Serie A tally against Inter.
Inter Milan Form Preview
Despite undergoing massive changes over the summer, Inter Milan have hit the ground running in Serie A this season. Taking the field as one of just three Serie A teams yet to lose a league match this term (W5, D2), the Nerazzurri look set to mount another serious title challenge following a triumphant 2020/21 campaign.
Romelu Lukaku’s summer departure for Chelsea has left no scars on Inter’s free-scoring attack. Simone Inzaghi’s men have netted 2+ goals in each of their first seven Serie A outings this season en route to setting an unprecedented feat in the club’s top-flight history. Indeed, their tally of 22 goals scored across their seven league matches is second to none, while they remain one of just two Italian sides to hit double digits on the road.
The reigning Serie A holders have alternated between scoring three and two across their four league games away from home this season. The common denominator? Inzaghi’s men have been scoring for fun beyond half-time, tallying 80% of their ten away top-flight goals bagged this term in the second half of play.
Player to watch: Edin Dzeko
Edin Dzeko is one goal away from joining a distinguished group of only three players to have tallied 7+ goals in their first eight Serie A appearances for Inter Milan. The veteran Bosnian striker is no stranger to scoring against Lazio either, having racked up six goals in his 12 top-flight matches against them during his time at Roma.
Dzeko has found the net at least once in each of Inter’s three Serie A games at Giuseppe Meazza this season. Given Lautaro Martinez’s scoring exploits for Argentina, the 35-year-old may have to shoulder the scoring burden all by himself.
Lazio vs Inter Milan Predicted Line-ups
Lazio (4-3-3): Jose Manuel Reina; Adam Marusic, Luiz Felipe, Patric, Elseid Hysaj; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro; Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile, Pedro.
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Matteo Darmian; Edin Dzeko, Lautaro Martinez.