Having responded to their first loss of the 2022-23 campaign with a European victory in midweek, Lazio welcome Hellas Verona to Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
Days after seeing their unbeaten start halted by Napoli in Serie A, the Roman club saw off Feyenoord in their Europa League opener; while their visitors arrive in the capital after finally posting a first win.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following a bright start to the new Serie A season, Lazio had taken just a point from their previous two league games before hosting a fearless Feyenoord side that had gone all the way to the inaugural Europa Conference League final last term - where they lost to the Aquile's arch-rivals Roma.
Maurizio Sarri's men flew out of the traps on Thursday night, though, as Luis Alberto put them ahead on four minutes, before Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson extended their lead not long after.
Lazio went on to win 4-2, after Matias Vecino's double either side of the interval was met by two late goals from their Group F counterparts, and regrets from last week's loss to Napoli were pushed to one side.
Having led in that high-profile clash between two southern giants, Sarri saw his side falter and end up suffering a 2-1 defeat at the Olimpico against his former club.
Nonetheless, the Biancocelesti lost just three times in the league at their headquarters last season, and had beaten both Bologna and top-four rivals Inter there too, before their first setback of the new campaign.
Lazio have not lost twice in succession as hosts in Serie A for approaching two years, and cannot afford to do so this weekend, as they already trail their main rivals for a top-four finish by at least a point.
© Reuters
Despite their previous supremacy over Sunday's visitors, Lazio have won only two of their last six league meetings with Verona, who will undertake the trip south to the Eternal City having put three points on the board last weekend.
Gabriele Cioffi's reign at Stadio Bentegodi has got off to an underwhelming start, but his team came out on top in a clash between two sides seeking their first Serie A victory of the season, against Sampdoria.
Only days after setting up the Scaligeri's goal in a draw with Empoli, summer signing Josh Doig struck what turned out to be the winner in first-half stoppage time; relieving some of the pressure on Cioffi's shoulders - for now, at least.
Always facing a tough task, as he stepped into the shoes of Marseille-bound predecessor Igor Tudor, the former Udinese coach will now hope to build on his first success by extending Verona's impressive run on the road: stretching back to last season, Hellas are unbeaten in eight of their last nine Serie A away matches.
Having drawn the most recent three - including one against Lazio at the end of last term - they would surely take the same result again if offered on Sunday.
- W
- D
- W
- D
- L
- W
- D
- W
- D
- L
- W
- L
- D
- L
- D
- W
- L
- L
- D
- L
- D
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Though Maurizio Sarri has an almost full squad to choose from, with only veteran winger Pedro a fitness concern ahead of Verona's visit, he will be forced into a change in midfield.
Likely to rotate his Lazio squad in any case, as the club's Europa League schedule continues next week in Denmark, both Marcos Antonio and Toma Basic are candidates to come into the Biancocelesti's central trio due to Danilo Cataldi's suspension.
On the left of an attacking triumvirate, Mattia Zaccagni - who played 81 Serie A matches for the visitors, scoring nine goals - will aim to follow up his goal against Napoli last week; star striker Ciro Immobile has scored nine times in just 10 top-flight encounters with Verona.
Meanwhile, Gabriele Cioffi may be without wing-back Davide Faraoni due to an ankle issue, and back-up striker Roberto Piccoli must await the results of a fitness test as he aims to make the bench.
Kevin Lasagna and Thomas Henry have been the Gialloblu's established front pair this season, and should continue in tandem up front, while Adrien Tameze and Miguel Veloso battle it out for selection in central midfield.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Marusic; Milinkovic-Savic, Antonio, Vecino; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Dawidowicz, Hien, Coppola; Terracciano, Ilic, Tameze, Doig; Lazovic; Lasagna, Henry
We say: Lazio 2-1 Hellas Verona
Verona might have shown a certain resilience on the road in recent times - often turning potential defeats into draws - but Lazio are capable of opening up their defence multiple times and should get another victory over the line.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
