Stadio Olimpico is the venue as Roma and Lazio go head-to-head in the 158th Serie A edition of the famous Derby della Capitale. For the first time in the post-Covid era, over 50,000 fans will attend one of the most highly anticipated fixtures on the Serie A schedule.
Much more than just bragging rights will be at stake on Sunday. Both sides are embroiled in an evenly-contested battle for European qualification, with a mere one-point gap dividing the teams ahead of the kick-off.
While fifth-placed Lazio head into proceedings on the back of a two-game winning league streak, Roma’s legs could be a bit jellied following a tiresome midweek Europa Conference League action.
The seventh-placed Giallorossi had Tammy Abraham’s last-gasp equaliser to thank for avoiding the dreaded extra-time against Vitesse on Thursday. But regardless of their exhausting last-16 second leg, Jose Mourinho’s men are out for all three points.
Match Preview
Roma
A hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Udinese last time out made it eight Serie A matches without defeat for Roma (W4, D4), putting a halt to their two-game winning streak though. Mourinho seems to have returned to his old tricks as part of his bid to guide the Giallorossi to European competition next season.
Keeping things tight at the back has been a formula of Mourinho’s recent success in Rome. Going into this matchday, Roma have kept a clean sheet in three out of the last five competitive fixtures, conceding precisely once per game across the other two.
Indeed, they have recorded three shutouts in their last four Serie A outings at the Stadio Olimpico (W2, D2), with an action-packed 2-2 draw with Hellas Verona being the lone exception.
Adding to Roma’s confidence, they have won three of their last four Serie A meetings with Lazio as nominal hosts (D1), including a clear-cut 2-0 triumph in this exact match-up back in 2020/21.
Lazio
Lazio have timed their return to shape in time, going from back-to-back Serie A games without winning (D1, L1) to consecutive victories without conceding. Maurizio Sarri’s men have enjoyed playing outside the Stadio Olimpico of late, with three wins from their last four Serie A fixtures (D1) waxing lyrical about their away form.
However, the Biancocelesti now have to make it at their beloved venue as nominal visitors, having come out victorious twice in their last three Serie A meetings with arch-rivals (L1). Indeed, Ciro Immobile and co squeezed past Roma 3-2 in the reverse fixture back in September, as they look to string together two top-flight H2H wins in a row for the first time since 2012.
After a leaky first half of the season, Sarri has seemingly managed to shore up Lazio’s defensive woes since the calendar flipped to 2022. His men have kept six clean sheets in Serie A this year, with only Real Sociedad (7) registering more league shutouts across Europe’s top-five divisions in this span.
Roma vs Lazio Predicted Lineups
Roma Potential Starting (3-4-1-2): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Marash Kumbulla; Rick Karsdorp, Bryan Cristante, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zalewski; Lorenzo Pellegrini; Nicolo Zaniolo, Tammy Abraham.
Lazio Potential Starting (4-3-3): Thomas Strakosha; Lazzari, Luiz Felipe, Francesco Acerbi, Adam Marusic; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile, Pedro.
Roma vs Lazio Prediction
Neither side would benefit much from a potential draw, as seventh-placed Atalanta are breathing down both teams’ necks. However, given the significance of the game in terms of bragging rights and long-standing rivalry, we expect both managers to take cautious approaches.
Though Roma and Lazio both boast decent attacking powers on their rosters, we back a low-scoring affair.
It is hard to give either side the upper hand, as we strongly recommend staying away from this one. Just kick back and enjoy.