Lazio v Roma is a Serie A Week 27 match to be played on Sunday at 18:00: odds, predictions, TV and streaming
The derby of the capital is already a match loaded with meaning, a match awaited for an entire season by both fans. Let alone when it puts vital Champions League points at stake, with Lazio and Roma separated by just two points in the standings and respectively third and fifth, in full battle with the Milanese.
A match that promises to be a hot one, then, the one that will be staged at the Stadio Olimpico on the last day before the national break, a possible crossroads that could shake up the cards in the race, rarely so fierce and uncertain, for one of the top four places, the main objective of Maurizio Sarri and José Mourinho’s men. The Portuguese coach, caustic as usual, already lit the fuse on Thursday night after his Roma’s match in San Sebastian against Real Sociedad, ironising about the Biancocelesti’s failure to qualify for the Conference League quarter-finals. Lazio are the only one of the seven Italian teams to have failed to qualify for the European round, also losing the return match against Az Alkmaar. An elimination that the Tuscan coach seemed to have already taken into account, judging by his pre-match declarations. In any case, Milinkovic-Savic and his team-mates are going through a peculiar moment, as after the resounding victory in Naples – they were the only ones to beat the league leaders at home – they suffered two defeats in the third continental competition and a disappointing blank-net draw in Bologna.
Lazio and Roma haven’t drawn since 2020
Roma’s European adventure, meanwhile, continued apace. In the return match against the Basque side, the Giallorossi withstood their opponents’ constant assaults and produced an exceptional defensive performance, just what was needed after winning the first leg 2-0.
Sarri and Mourinho
They will face Feyenoord in the quarter-finals, in what looks set to be a rematch of the last Conference League final, won by the Giallorossi in Tirana. Mourinho’s team have inevitably wasted a lot of energy and could pay dearly for their cup fatigue as they have done on other occasions, most recently last Sunday against Sassuolo, who went down at the Stadio Olimpico in a thunderous 4-3 win. Roma struggles to play with the same intensity every three days and had also demonstrated this a few weeks ago by losing in Cremona a few days after the great comeback against Salzburg in the Europa League. A few numbers on the derby: this will be the 158th derby in Serie A, with Roma leading 56 to 41, while there are 60 draws. The ‘x’ sign, however, has not come out since 2020: three Biancocelesti and two Giallorossi wins since then. In the first leg Lazio came out on top thanks to an own goal from Ibanez, although it was Roma who had the better chances.
Lazio v Roma: latest info on formation
Sarri and all the Biancocelesti fans’ hopes of seeing Immobile on the pitch are at a low ebb: the Biancocelesti striker is struggling with a thigh problem and is unlikely to be able to grit his teeth and start in the derby. It will therefore be the former Pedro who will complete the now usual attacking trident with Felipe Anderson and Zaccagni. In midfield Vecino is disqualified: in his place Cataldi between Luis Alberto and Milinkovic-Savic. On the flanks Marusic should line up on the right, on the left is Hysaj.
Few changes at Roma, with Mourinho having to do without only Kumbulla (disqualified) and Llorente (injured). In the middle, the Lusitanian coach should recover Matic, who was rested on Thursday in the cup, while Spinazzola and Zalewski will play on the outside, bearing in mind that Karsdorp is not at his best. In front Dybala and Pellegrini will support Abraham’s only forward: the Englishman will be threatened by Belotti.
The prediction
A triple match. In this case, it is not a catchphrase, given the value of what is at stake and the very small difference between the two teams in the standings. Both have played in the cup on Thursday, and the spectacle could suffer, considering that both are not exciting in terms of scoring. Therefore, a contracted and balanced match as in the first leg, in which an episode can make the difference, cannot be excluded. This time the Giallorossi should avoid defeat. The number of cards may be high.
Lazio v Roma likely lineup
- LAZIO (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Pedro, Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni.
- ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Dybala, Pellegrini; Abraham.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
