After Lazio's resurgence continued with a midweek cup win over their arch-rivals, one of Serie A's form sides will now welcome Lecce to Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
Having edged out Roma to make the Coppa Italia semi-finals, the Biancocelesti take on a club they have failed to beat in their last four attempts - including a shock loss on the opening day of this season.
Match preview
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Since Lazio were consigned to a 2-1 defeat down at Stadio Via del Mare in August, it has been a long road back to something approaching their best form - but recent results suggest brighter times could lie ahead for last term's Serie A runners-up.
Following their Derby della Capitale success on Wednesday, Maurizio Sarri's men have won their last four games in all competitions and could now achieve four straight Serie A wins for the first time since April.
Last weekend, Matias Vecino's late strike earned the Biancocelesti a year-opening 2-1 victory at Udinese, having signed off 2023 with wins over Empoli and Frosinone: they now sit just three points shy of Italy's top four.
They therefore approached the Rome derby in high spirits, and at the end of a typically feisty encounter at Stadio Olimpico, Mattia Zaccagni's spot-kick was enough to knock old foes Roma out in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.
The fixture list does not relent, as following Lecce's visit to the capital on Sunday, Sarri leads his squad to Saudi Arabia for a Supercoppa Italiana semi-final versus league leaders Inter Milan five days later.
As Napoli and Atalanta BC also await before next month's Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, Lazio could not have picked a better time to turn things around - but they now come up against their bogey team.
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Against all odds, Lecce have won three of their last four league meetings with Lazio - as many wins as in the previous 19 - and drew the other.
Following their victory in this season's reverse fixture, when late goals from Pontus Almqvist and Federico Di Francesco turned the game on its head at Via del Mare, the Giallorossi could now do the double over their capital-city counterparts for the very first time.
However, Lecce have won only one of 16 previous away matches against Lazio in Serie A - and none since January 2011 - in addition to holding one of the weakest road records in the Italian top flight this term.
One of three teams without a single away win, along with promoted pair Cagliari and Frosinone, Roberto D'Aversa's side ended 2023 with consecutive losses at Inter and Atalanta - they also average less than one goal per game as the visiting side.
After being held at home by Cagliari last time out, Lecce had drawn nine of 19 matches during the first half of the season, preventing them from pulling decisively clear of the drop zone. Returning from Rome with a point, though, would be something of an achievement.
Team News
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Lazio will have first-choice goalkeeper Ivan Provedel back at their disposal this weekend, after untried deputy Christos Mandas covered in the Coppa Italia clash with Roma.
Not only is Provedel set to overcome a bout of flu, but Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto has returned to full training following a thigh problem and may even start on Sunday afternoon.
Captain Ciro Immobile is struggling to recover in time, though, and Taty Castellanos will miss out through injury, so Felipe Anderson could feature in the centre of hosts' front three. The latter has laid on six Serie A assists this season, topping the charts alongside Roma's Paulo Dybala and Inter striker Marcus Thuram.
Meanwhile, no player has created more chances without providing an assist this term (20) than Lecce's Gabriel Strefezza. The Brazilian winger has, however, managed two goal involvements in his last three league games against Lazio.
With Nicola Sansone still sidelined by a calf injury and Lameck Banda representing Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations, Strefezza should support either Roberto Piccoli or Nikola Krstovic in the Salento side's attack.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Romagnoli, Patric, Marusic; Guendouzi, Rovella, Alberto; Isaksen, Anderson, Zaccagni
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Pongracic, Gallo; Gonzalez, Ramadani, Kaba; Almqvist, Krstovic, Strefezza
We say: Lazio 2-0 Lecce
It is no coincidence that Lazio's improved form has arrived after re-finding last season's defensive steel. As Lecce often lack punch - particularly away from home - the home side should earn some revenge for their opening-day defeat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
