Saturday’s Serie A encounter between Lazio and Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico will offer the hosts an opportunity to redeem themselves to the fans. Mauricio Sarri’s men succumbed to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Roma on the stroke of March’s international break, casting further doubt on their top-six credentials.
Even though they long looked like credible top-four candidates, Lazio now face the prospect of failing to qualify for European competition for the first time in three years. The Biancocelesti currently sit seventh in the Serie A standings, two points adrift of sixth-placed Atalanta, who also have a game in hand.
Therefore, Lazio can ill-afford any more setbacks if they are to maintain their European hopes. Sassuolo’s visit to the country’s capital could not have come at a worse moment, especially considering the visitors’ eye-catching run of form.
Coming into this matchday, Alessio Dionisi’s men have gone unbeaten in their last six Serie A outings (W4, D2) as they look to mountain a late top-six charge of their own. Sassuolo thoroughly outclassed bottom-half Spezia in their most recent league fixture, strolling to an overwhelming 4-1 triumph at home.
Over/Under Market
Stadio Olimpico has been a venue of entertainment, with three of Lazio’s last four competitive home games spanning back to the beginning of February featuring over 2.5 goals. Indeed, their previous five Serie A home meetings with Sassuolo have witnessed both teams scoring in matches garnering 3+ goals.
Sassuolo have developed a reputation as entertainers since gaining promotion to Serie A in 2013/14. The Neroverdi have lived up to their stature this season. Indeed, the league-highest 87% of Sassuolo’s away league games have contained 3+ match goals (13/15), including the last two in a row that actually produced four apiece.
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals
Lazio vs Sassuolo – Full-Time Result
Lazio
As mentioned before, Lazio have no room for errors if they are to remain competitive in the Serie A top-six run-in. Therefore, they will thank God for returning to the Stadio Olimpico for this fixture, having lost just once in their last seven home league matches (W3, D3).
However, they have encountered mixed fortunes across their last three home meetings with Sassuolo at home (W1, D1, L1), conceding twice per match on two occasions. That could strike fear into the hearts of the Lazio faithful, as the Bianconcelesti risk losing back-to-back league outings for the first time since November.
Conceding first may not necessarily dent the home side’s hopes of claiming all three points. Lazio have rescued a league second-high eight points from losing positions at home this Serie A season (W2, D2, L2), with only Sassuolo gaining more (9).
Sassuolo
Sassuolo’s resilience in matches against sides starting the day above them in the Serie A table has been off the charts. Dionisi’s men have gone unbeaten in their last ten such fixtures (W6, D4), netting a resounding average of 2.3 goals per game during that sequence.
Additionally, the Neroverdi have not only avoided defeat in their last three Serie A away matches (W2, D1), but they’ve also bagged 2+ goals on each occasion, including a 2-0 win at Inter in late February. In fact, only table-topping Milan (33) have scored more Serie A goals on the road than Sassuolo (32) this season.
The one thing Dionisi will be hoping for is that the international break has not curtailed his side’s momentum heading into the business end of the season. But even then, it is hard to make a case for Sassuolo not inflicting another upset on Lazio following a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture back in December.
Prediction: Sassuolo’s Win Draw-No-Bet