Saturday’s Serie A action closes out at the Stadio Olimpico with a mouth-watering showdown between Lazio and Juventus. If it weren’t for Juve’s 15-point deduction in January, this game would’ve had all the makings of a ‘top-four six-pointer.’
But with Juventus continuing to impress on multiple fronts, this fixture might still have a significant ride on the Champions League qualification picture.
Goals from Pedro and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on either side of halftime fired Lazio to a clean 2-0 victory at Serie A debutants Monza, helping them build on a 1-0 triumph over eternal rivals Roma in their most recent home outing. Back-to-back wins ‘to nil’ have not only served to consolidate Biancocelesti’s top-four pursuit but stretched their impressive league run without conceding to six games.
With five points separating them from fifth-placed Roma at the start of this round, Lazio could already smell the taste of a first top-four finish in Serie A since 2019/20. But they’re not yet over the finish line. And there’s no room for complacency as Maurizio Sarri seeks vengeance against his former employers following a 3-0 demolition in the reverse fixture last November.
Moise Kean’s second-half strike was sufficient to take down relegation-threatened Hellas Verona last weekend, but Juventus’ performance flattered to deceive. The bill came due in midweek Coppa Italia action as Inter fought back from a 1-0 deficit to hold Massimiliano Allegri’s side to a dramatic 1-1 draw on Tuesday, leaving this blockbuster semi-final tie wide open ahead of the return leg at Giuseppe Meazza.
While Juventus had a hard time digesting Romelu Lukaku’s late penalty, they cannot afford to moan any longer if they’re to increase their chances of catching fourth-placed Milan. Only six points stand between the Rossoneri and the Bianconeri at the beginning of this round, highlighting the importance of getting a result in Rome.
Match Preview
Lazio
Suffering an underwhelming Europa Conference League exit at the hands of Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in March could be a blessing in disguise for Lazio. Without the distraction of European football for the rest of the season, they can now focus on building on their decent six-game unbeaten run in Serie A (W5, D1). But Juventus are not an ideal opposition to help them maintain their domestic resurgence.
In addition to the abovementioned humbling in the reverse fixture at the Allianz Stadium, Lazio succumbed to a gut-wrenching 1-0 loss in February’s Coppa Italia clash in Turin. Playing at home will unlikely boost the hosts’ bid to exact their revenge, considering they’ve lost six of their last eight league meetings with Juventus at the Olimpico (W1, L1).
Player to Watch: Mattia Zaccagni
With Ciro Immobile struggling with match fitness and inconsistent performances, Mattia Zaccagni could be Lazio’s main threat on Saturday. The Italian winger has tallied nine goals and four assists in Serie A this season, qualifying himself as a top pick for our ‘Player to Watch’ section.
Juventus
Despite winning their last three league matches on the trot, including a 1-0 triumph at fierce rivals Inter on their most recent Serie A travel, Juventus would be silly to let that tuck them into a false sense of security. Before narrowly taking down the Nerazzurri, Allegri’s men had lost three consecutive away league games against current top-six sides, a record that begs to be improved.
And Juventus must oblige if they’re to continue eating up the ground on the coveted Champions League spots, with the Olimpico emerging as a perfect place to start. For years, it’s been a happy hunting ground for the Bianconeri, as witnessed by their eye-catching run of one defeat in their last 11 top-flight meetings with Lazio (W8, D2).
Player to Watch: Dusan Vlahovic
It’s not like Dusan Vlahovic is enjoying the time of his career, but he’ll still be Juventus’ main man in Rome. The 23-year-old has failed to score in his last seven Serie A appearances, so talking of his desire to get on the scoresheet is insufficient.
Team News
After serving a red-card ban, Adam Marusic will return to the fold for Saturday’s game. Given Lazio’s congested fixture schedule at the turn of 2023, it’s admirable they’ve avoided injury concerns. Indeed, Sarri will have his entire squad fit and ready to take on Juventus.
On the other hand, Allegri is still without long-term absentee Paul Pogba despite receiving positive updates on the Frenchman’s recovery last week. Another forgotten man Kaio Jorge has yet to overcome a nasty knee problem. But they’re the only confirmed injury blows for the visitors.
Lazio vs Juventus Potential Lineups
Lazio (4-3-3): Ivan Provedel; Elseid Hysaj, Nicolo Casale, Alessio Romagnoli, Adam Marusic; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Danilo Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile, Mattia Zaccagni.
Juventus (3-5-1-1): Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Gleison Bremer, Alex Sandro; Juan Cuadrado, Nicolo Fagioli, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Filip Kostic; Angel Di Maria; Dusan Vlahovic.
Lazio vs Juventus Prediction
While the recent H2H record is likely to give Juventus a psychological edge, Lazio’s outrageous spell of form in the build-up to this clash may level the odds. As such, we have no problems envisaging a share of the spoils in what promises to be a low-scoring affair.
Prediction: Draw
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