Preview: Juventus vs Lazio – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

Sunday’s Serie A motion closes out on the Allianz Stadium with a mouth-watering showdown between Juventus and Lazio. There’s a slim margin for error, as each groups desperately want factors to bolster their European hopes.

Juventus ran riot of their final two Serie A outings, beating Napoli and Parma by way of three-goal margins to interrupt into the highest 4. Nevertheless, a slim two-point lead over fifth-placed Roma places the Bianconeri in a must-win state of affairs in the event that they’re to cling on to the ultimate UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.

Regardless of their spectacular league type, Juventus didn’t reside as much as the billing in midweek Coppa Italia motion, slipping to a dreadful 3-0 defeat at Atalanta. Supervisor Luciano Spalletti will anticipate a agency response from his facet right here, because the record-time Italian champions search revenge for a 1-0 defeat in October’s reverse fixture.

That victory offers Lazio the possibility to finish their first league double over Juventus because the 1942/43 season. The guests ought to take the sector in excessive spirits after a A centesimal-minute penalty, transformed by Danilo Cataldi, impressed them to a nerve-shredding 3-2 house win over Genoa final day out.

Though that outcome halted Lazio’s two-game winless league run (D1, L1), they’re nonetheless trailing sixth-placed Como by a whopping 9 factors. As such, their European ambitions are at stake, as could possibly be Maurizio Sarri’s future on the Stadio Olimpico.

Match Preview

Juventus

Spalletti’s facet dismantled reigning champions Napoli 3-0 of their final league outing in Turin, preserving their unbeaten house document in Serie A this season (W7, D4). Apart from a surprising 1-1 draw in opposition to Lecce in the beginning of the calendar yr, Juventus have received 4 of their final 5 league video games at this stadium.

Lazio’s upcoming go to is unlikely to threaten Juventus’ dominance on house turf, on condition that they’ve received their final 5 conferences in Turin. Nevertheless, Thursday’s mauling in Bergamo might have derailed a feel-good issue on the Allianz Stadium, although it marked solely Spalletti’s third defeat in 21 matches accountable for the membership.

Including to this sentiment, solely table-topping Inter (33) have netted extra house targets than Juventus’ 23 this time period. Moreover, they’re certainly one of solely two Serie A sides to have scored a minimum of ten first-half targets on house turf, highlighting the potential for a high-flying begin from the top-four-bidding hosts.

Lazio

Lazio defied their long-standing scoring woes in opposition to Genoa final weekend, scoring a number of targets in a single aggressive sport for the primary time because the starting of October. Nevertheless, Sarri’s males stay the lowest-scoring facet within the higher half of the desk (24), averaging simply over one objective per sport.

Topically, they’ve didn’t get on the scoresheet in a league-high seven Serie A away matches this season. Leaving the house comforts of their Stadio Olimpico could possibly be a blessing in disguise for the Biancocelesti, as they’ve averted defeat on their final 4 Serie A highway journeys (W2, D3).

Defensive solidity noticed Lazio maintain a clear sheet in three of these 4 matches, a feat they haven’t achieved in Turin since November 2012. Furthermore, they’d conceded a minimum of two targets in six consecutive away league clashes in opposition to Juventus earlier than a slim 1-0 defeat on this corresponding fixture final time period.

Crew Information

Juventus’ long-term harm disaster appears to have lastly subsided, with Arkadiusz Milik and Dusan Vlahovic remaining the one two high-profile absentees. As such, Jonathan David is prone to lead the road as soon as once more, with Lois Openda anticipated to start out on the bench. Regardless of struggling minor harm issues on Thursday, Lloyd Kelly and Francisco Conceicao can be at Spalletti’s disposal.

However, Lazio will go to Turin with out a number of first-team stalwarts, together with captain Mattia Zaccagni and beginning wingback Manuel Lazzari. Samuel Gigot can be within the pits, whereas Luca Pellegrini should serve a yellow-card suspension. Winter signings Kenneth Taylor and Daniel Maldini are in line for his or her maiden league begins for the membership.

Juventus vs Lazio Potential Beginning Lineups

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; McKennie, Miretti, Yildiz; David.

Lazio (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Fundamental, Cataldi, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro.

Juventus vs Lazio Prediction

With the final 4 Serie A conferences between Juventus and Lazio producing simply 5 targets, it’s solely cheap to anticipate a low-scoring contest. The hosts have thrived in such an surroundings, and we again them to increase their successful run within the league with a slim victory.

Prediction: Juventus to Win

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