Following five straight wins in all competitions, Lazio will meet Monza on Sunday evening, as they aim to keep within touching distance of the Serie A summit.
Safely inside Italy's top six and flying high in the Europa League, the Biancocelesti's stellar form stands in contrast to their hosts, who have picked up one point from three games over the past two weeks.
Match preview
© Imago
Scoring 10 goals in the process, Lazio have won their last three league matches by finding the net at least twice on each occasion, as momentum gathers behind Marco Baroni's Roman revolution.
After letting a lead slip against Cagliari last week, captain Mattia Zaccagni stepped up to the spot and converted a 76th-minute penalty at Stadio Olimpico, and another victory moved his team to within three points of league leaders Napoli.
In Serie A alone, nine of Lazio's goals this season have come during the final 15 minutes - the most of any side - and evergreen forward Pedro extended that trend to continental competition in midweek.
Again, the Biancocelesti led but subsequently conceded an equaliser against Porto, before the 37-year-old Spanish star struck late on, making it four wins from four in the Europa League.
The only team still with a perfect record, Lazio sit top of the 36-team standings at the halfway stage and are clearly on course for a place in the knockout rounds.
In addition to scoring freely in Europe, Baroni's boys have racked up 24 goals on the domestic scene, fewer only than Inter Milan and Atalanta BC, and that represents the club's third-best tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign.
© Imago
As such stats are being posted by their counterparts from the capital, Monza may be fearful of playing host to Lazio - particularly as history also stands against them.
To date, the Brianzoli have won none of nine Serie A meetings with the two Roman clubs, or even kept a single clean sheet - though they did draw both games against the Biancocelesti last season.
More recently, Alessandro Nesta's side have lost their last two matches without scoring, following a controversial 1-0 defeat to neighbours AC Milan last week.
Nesta was infuriated by the decision to rule out an apparently valid Dany Mota goal, and the resulting media uproar backed up his points. However, he must now meet another club from his illustrious playing days with Monza occupying a place in the drop zone.
Dating back to March, the Biancorossi have not won any of their last 10 home matches in Serie A - though winning a couple of Coppa Italia ties at U-Power Stadium has taken them into the last 16 - and they face a tough task to end that streak on Sunday.
Team News
© Imago
As Manuel Lazzari recently returned from injury and Tijjani Noslin is available after serving a UEFA ban, Marco Baroni should have an almost full squad to choose from this weekend.
Gaetano Castrovilli is sidelined until 2025, but an otherwise clean bill of health should allow Lazio's head coach to make changes following amid an intense schedule on two fronts.
Boulaye Dia may be brought back into the starting XI, having been directly involved in three goals in his last two Serie A matches: the Senegal international's tally of four league goals in 2024-25 has already matched his entire output last season.
Meanwhile, another ex-Salernitana striker Milan Djuric - who made his Serie A debut against Lazio back in 2014 - bagged a brace for Monza in this equivalent fixture last term.
He should start up front for the hosts, with support from Daniel Maldini and Dany Mota, though the latter has plenty of competition for his place - Gianluca Caprari and Samuele Vignato are alternative options.
The Brianzoli's absence list remains lengthy: Alessio Cragno, Omari Forson, Stefano Sensi and Roberto Gagliardini are all ruled out by injury, while Andrea Petagna could join them.
Monza possible starting lineup:
Turati; Izzo, Mari, Carboni; Pereira, Pessina, Bondo, Kyriakopoulos; Mota, Maldini; Djuric
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Vecino, Rovella, Guendouzi; Pedro, Dia, Zaccagni
We say: Monza 1-3 Lazio
Even if Monza manage to gain the lead, Lazio are at their strongest during the final third of matches and have sufficient firepower to blow them away.
The Biancocelesti have scored more goals during the final 30 minutes than any other Serie A side this season - no fewer than 12 in 11 games - so they will surely pick up maximum points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
