Serie A Preview: Lazio vs Milan – Team News, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Stadio Olimpico is the venue as out-of-sorts Lazio and title-chasing Milan lock horns in a mouth-watering Serie A showdown on Sunday night. With the home side’s season heading toward a disappointing mid-table finish, this could be a perfect opportunity for the visitors to bolster their faint Scudetto hopes.

Lazio may have hit their lowest point in the 21st century, with fans continuing their boycott against club president Claudio Lotito. Only 2,000 spectators were at the Olimpico last weekend as Maurizio Sarri’s side struck late to beat newcomers Sassuolo 2-1, posting their first win in 90 minutes across their last seven competitive outings (D4, L2).

Whether the Biancocelesti faithful would return to the stands for this evening’s clash remains uncertain, with Lazio fighting to avoid the ignominy of finishing in Serie A’s lower reaches for the first time since the 2009/10 season. However, after Udinese’s home loss to Juventus last night, the hosts have a golden opportunity to steer four points clear of the 11th-placed Friulians with a win here.

That might prove easier said than done, as runners-up Milan roll into town, buoyed by a 1-0 derby win over Inter last time out. Summer signing Pervis Estupinan couldn’t have picked a better occasion to score his first-ever goal in the Rossoneri colors, as he inspired Massimiliano Allegri’s side to a potentially season-defining victory at Stadio San Siro.

With Inter held to a 1-1 draw by Atalanta yesterday, Milan could further close the gap on table-topping Nerazzurri. Eight points separate the sides ahead of kickoff, but with nine games left to play, the Rossoneri can still make a late Scudetto push, hoping to secure a landmark 20th title in Italy’s top flight.

Match Preview

Lazio

Supporters continue to voice their discontent with Lotito’s leadership, but reports indicate they will pause the boycott this weekend and return to the stands. That should boost Sarri’s underperforming men, who need every possible lift after winning just two of their last nine home games (D4, L3).

A fast start feels mandatory, not least because Lazio have yet to pick up a single point when trailing at halftime all season (L6). To further highlight the importance of the opening goal, Lazio’s league-low seven home matches this term have seen both teams on the scoresheet, suggesting whoever opens the scoring will stand a better chance of claiming all three points.

However, this fixture has been highly unfavorable for Lazio in recent years, with the Biancocelesti securing just three wins in their last 11 matches against Milan (D1, L7). That said, they were responsible for Milan’s only away defeat of the campaign to date in the Coppa Italia back in December.

Milan

Consecutive league wins without conceding can inspire confidence around Allegri’s camp, as the visitors seek an all-important triumph in the capital. Another similar result would see Milan win three Serie A matches to nil in a row for the first time since September, which could go a long way toward strengthening their position in the title race.

Furthermore, the Rossoneri remain the only team in the league yet to lose a single away game this season (W9, D5), including three victories on the bounce, all of which saw them score at least two goals. However, entertainment has been relatively sparse, with six of Milan’s last eight Serie A outings featuring under 2.5 goals.

Conceding the opening goal may not necessarily spell the end of Milan’s hopes of avenging their Coppa Italia exit, given that they’ve won a pre-round league-high 13 points after falling behind this term. Still, it’s worth mentioning that they’ve won just one of their last three away league clashes against Lazio (D1, L1).

Team News

Lazio stars Nicolo Rovella and Samuel Gigot remain sidelined, while key midfielder Danilo Cataldi has picked up a calf injury. Former Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli also faces a race against time to prove his fitness, with another ex-Rossoneri set to lead the line. Indeed, Daniel Maldini has been Sarri’s frontman in the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, Milan will be without long-term absentee Santiago Gimenez. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Matteo Gabbia have recently joined the Mexican striker in the treatment room. Moreover, Adrien Rabiot must serve a one-game suspension after accumulating five yellow cards.

Lazio vs Milan Potential Starting Lineups

Lazio (4-3-3): Motta; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Zaccagni.

Milan (3-5-2): Maignan; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Estupinan; Pulisic, Leao.

Lazio vs Milan Prediction

With Lazio terminally unable to score goals in high-profile fixtures, we expect Milan to uphold their reputation as ‘clean-sheet specialists.’ A narrow win for the visitors appears to be on the cards.