Preview: Lazio vs. Inter Milan – prediction, team news, lineups

Locked in a fascinating Serie A title race, Lazio and Inter Milan will start in Monday’s clash at the Stadio Olimpico.

Reigning champions Inter are aiming to go 10 games unbeaten the Italian top classwhile their hosts have recently impressed on three fronts.

Match preview

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Lazio continue a fantastic run of form and have been busy progressing their quest for some silverware over the past few weeks – beating Napoli in both Serie A and the Coppa Italia before extending their unbeaten run in the Europa League.

Just a few days after eliminating them from the cup in Rome, Marco Baronis men unseated the former league leaders by winning 1-0 at the Stadio Maradona to move within three points of top spot.

Aquile then flew to Amsterdam for a midweek clash with Ajax, where the evergreen winger Pedro played a central role and scored the third goal as his side secured an impressive 3-1 success.

To have held on to first place and almost certainly booked their place in the last 16 of the Europa League, Lazio can reflect on two significant away wins.

While they have sometimes fallen short away from home, the capital club are powerful at the Stadio Olimpico, dropping just two Serie A points there this season: another home win on Monday would see them reach 34 points from 16 games for just the second time this time. century.

However, Lazio have won just two of their last eight league meetings with Inter, who have had the upper hand since they got rid of the Biancocelesti’s once-beloved former boss.

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Once again, Simone Inzaghi returns to his old club, for whom he first played and then made a club-record 197 appearances in Serie A between 2016 and 2021, recording 108 wins in the process.

Inter’s highly-rated boss is unbeaten in his last four games against Lazio – having lost two of the first three since leaving – and putting all friendships aside, he will be keen to continue that trend.

Since claiming their 20th Scudetto last season, the Nerazzurri have lost just twice in 20 games this term and they are along with Lazio in a thrilling race for first place.

Last week’s 3-1 win over Parma means Inter have scored three or more times in half of their 14 league games; it has also helped their annual away goals tally to 41 throughout 2024 – just five short of the club’s all-time best.

Furthermore, with another success at the Stadio Olimpico, they would also equal their record for away wins in a calendar year which is 13 – recorded in 2007 and again three years ago.

Although their unbeaten run in Serie A has now reached nine games, Inzaghi saw his side suffer a rare setback last week as they lost in a clash between the German and Italian league champions.

Despite losing to a last-minute goal against Bayer Leverkusen – surrendering their status as the only team yet to concede – Inter are still on course to reach the Champions League round of 16, as one of six teams. sits just behind the top two.

Lazio Serie A form:

Lazio form (all competitions):

Inter Milan Serie A form:

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

Team news

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As Lazio’s top scorer Taty Castellanos will serve a suspension due to accumulated bookings, Marco Baroni must make a change to his in-form front line, with the main contender to step in. Tijjani Noslinwho recently scored a Coppa Italia hat-trick against Napoli.

Baroni has cleared up the concerns about the defensive duo Luca Pellegrini and Patric after both were withdrawn due to picking up concussions in Amsterdam, while the ex-Inter midfielder Matias Vecino and experienced central defender Alessio Romagnoli is also ready to be passed fit for Monday’s game.

The hosts can also call on Spanish veteran Pedro – Lazio’s leading goalscorer in the Europa League, on four goals – while they are ever-present Matteo Guendouzi runs the engine room next door Nicolo Rovella.

Meanwhile, former Biancocelesti defender Francesco Acerbi will be Inter’s most notable absence due to a thigh injury, while Benjamin Pavard and back-up goalkeeper Raffaele Di Gennaro is also sidelined.

Denzel Dumfries missed the trip to Leverkusen due to illness, but the Nerazzurri’s Dutch wing-back should now return and replace Matteo Darmian on the right flank.

Ahead, Captain Lautaro Martinez will come in to misfire the attacker Mehdi Taremiwhich repeats its partnership with Marcus Thuram. The latter has been directly involved in 20 Serie A goals throughout 2024, topping the charts alongside the Atalanta BC trio Mateo Retegui, Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere.

Lazio possible starting line-up:
Sample part; Lazzari, Gila, Patric, Tavares; Guendouzi, Rovella; Isaksen, Pedro, Zaccagni; Noslin

Inter Milan possible starting line-up:
Summer; Bisseck, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

We say: Lazio 2-2 Inter Milan

With both clubs in fine form, it should be an exciting contest in store at the Stadio Olimpico, where Lazio are yet to lose this season.

Even if the visitors establish a lead, there could well be a late twist: no team has scored more often than Aquile in the last 15 minutes, while aging Inter have conceded 47% of their league goals in the same period.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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