The iconic Derby della Capitale pits underperforming Lazio against bitter rivals Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, and it’s time to preview the game and take a look at the expected lineups. Both sides have started this Serie A campaign on the front foot, though the Biancocelesti look to be slowing down of late.
The shared 70,000-seater Stadio Olimpico is ready to write a new chapter in one of the fiercest long-standing rivalries in European football as Jose Mourinho gears up for his inaugural Derby della Capitale. His Lazio counterpart Maurizio Sarri is equally aware of the importance of this fixture despite refusing to admit that in the build-up.
“This is one of the most important matches in Europe, it is an honor. Everyone as a child dreams of experiencing a Rome Derby. Roma are very strong, this will make us more focused,” Sarri told a news conference, as relayed by Reuters.
“The pressure from the media does not correspond to the pressure inside the dressing room. The match I have felt most pressure from was Sangiovannese against Montevarchi, the Tuscan derby in Serie C, a century-old rivalry.“
Lazio vs Roma Head-to-Head
Lazio and Roma have faced each other 154 times in Serie A, with the H2H stakes favoring the Giallorossi by a fair margin (W55, D60, L39). That said, both sides recorded one landslide victory apiece in last season’s top-flight duels, with the Biancocelesti winning this exact fixture 3-0 in January.
Unbeaten in their last four Serie A home meetings with arch-rivals (W2, D2), Lazio could make it five in a row for only the third time in their top-flight history, last achieving that feat in 2000.
Meanwhile, Roma have failed to keep back-to-back Serie A clean sheets against Lazio since doing a league double in 2010/11 by winning both fixtures 2-0 that season. However, it’s worth noting that only 50% of their last six top-flight H2Hs witnessed both teams on the scoresheet.
Lazio Form Preview
It was a Serie A start to remember for Sarri, as the Italian manager navigated his Lazio side to two opening league triumphs by an aggregate score of 9-2. However, a fairytale turned into a nightmare when the ex-Napoli boss picked up suspension following his team’s torrid 2-0 away loss to Milan on Matchday 3.
Lazio now take the field winless in their last three Serie A fixtures (D2, L1), conceding 1.66 goals on average. A hard-earned 1-1 away draw with Torino last time out saw the Biancocelesti concede the opener for the fourth time in five league matches this term, which could be a worrying sign heading into this showdown.
After being held to two successive Serie A stalemates, Lazio could draw three consecutive matches in the competition for the first time since December 2018. But Sarri’s side can take some confidence from an intimidating home league form, as they’ve yet to taste defeat in a top-flight home game this calendar year (W13, D2).
Who else but Ciro Immobile to be entrusted with leading Lazio to a keenly-awaited success. The Italian striker already has six Serie A goals under his belt this season and scored his side’s opening goal in the most recent top-flight Derby della Capitale.
Roma Form Preview
Mourinho arrived at Roma carrying a reputation as a ‘park-the-bus’ manager. But the Special One has managed to play down that predicament in his early days in the capital, making the Giallorossi one of the most exciting teams to watch in Serie A.
In addition to winning four of his first five league matches in charge (L1), Mourinho has encouraged attractive, action-packed football, which has already put him in the fans’ good grace. Barring a tight 1-0 home victory over Udinese last time out, each of Roma’s remaining four Serie A games under the Portuguese boss featured 3+ total goals.
Indeed, only Inter and Napoli have scored more Serie A goals than Roma so far this term, with 66.67% of the Giallorossi‘s strikes so far coming in the second half of play (8/12). In turn, five of Roma’s six league goals netted away from home have arrived beyond half-time.
They could now find the net in ten consecutive Serie A outings for the first time since May 2019. However, Mourinho needs to address his side’s defensive issues if they are to win here, with Roma keeping a single clean sheet across their last nine away league matches. Worryingly, they conceded 2+ goals in each of the remaining eight games during that nine-fixture sequence.
Although it’s still too early to draw conclusions, Tammy Abraham looks to be on course of becoming a cult hero at Roma. The English striker has been a talismanic figure, as the Giallorossi have won both Serie A fixtures with the ex-Chelsea marksman on the scoresheet.
Lazio vs Roma Predicted Lineups
Lazio (4-3-3): Pepe Reina; Manuel Lazzari, Luis Felipe, Francesco Acerbi, Elseid Hysaj; Luis Alberto, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Danilo Cataldi; Pedro, Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile.
Roma (4-2-3-1): Rui Patricio; Rick Karsdorp, Gianluca Mancini, Roger Ibanez, Ricardo Califiori; Bryan Cristante, Jordan Veretout; Nicolo Zaniolo, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Carles Perez; Tammy Abraham.