Five key battles as Lazio face Inter Milan: can Marusic stop Dimarco? | OneFootball

Lazio and Inter Milan meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday evening with the Coppa Italia on the line. The Biancocelesti can salvage a taxing season with silverware, while the Nerazzurri are chasing a first domestic double since 2010.

Maurizio Sarri faces compatriot Cristian Chivu in the dugout, yet the final is likely to hinge on duels across the pitch. According to The Laziali, these five battles stand out based on the expected line-ups.

Mario Gila v Lautaro Martinez: Serie A’s leading scorer against one of Italy’s standout defenders, two Spanish speakers who share agent Alejandro Camano. Martinez struck on the half volley in Saturday’s dress rehearsal. Gila is expected to shake off the rust for a stronger display, although stopping the Argentine remains a daunting task.

Adam Marusic v Federico Dimarco: Marusic offers limited thrust going forward, but Sarri values his defensive discipline. That could matter against Dimarco, who has been almost unstoppable with licence to raid. The wing-back has seven goals and 18 assists in all competitions, so Marusic must try to curb his surges.

Nuno Tavares v Denzel Dumfries: This flank should be more even. Dumfries has previously dominated Tavares, most notably in Inter’s 6-0 win in December 2024. Sarri has since unveiled a more robust version of the former Arsenal full back, far tighter defensively.

Kenneth Taylor v Nicolo Barella: Barella has not hit his peak this season, yet he is still widely regarded among the country’s best midfielders, many would call him Serie A’s leading box to box presence. Taylor, formerly of Ajax, joined in January and was rested at the weekend, so this would be his first meeting with Barella.

Gustav Isaksen v Alessandro Bastoni: Lazio thrive on counter attacks against top opponents, and Isaksen’s pace could exploit the space Bastoni sometimes leaves. Team-mates will need to supply vertical passes, and the Dane must be ruthless, because a squandered chance against the Italian champions could wreck Lazio’s campaign.

Source: The Laziali