Lazio and AC Milan will be eager to return to winning ways in Serie A when they clash at Stadio Olimpico on Friday.
The 2023/24 Serie A season will continue on Friday, with Matchday 27 kicking off with a blockbuster fixture. Lazio and AC Milan will lock horns at Stadio Olimpico, with both clubs desperate to return to winning ways and stitch together a solid run of form.
Lazio finished a distant second in the 2022/23 season and would have hoped for another top-four finish this season. While that remains possible, they are eight points behind fourth-placed Bologna. The race for the fourth spot will likely go down the wire, with six teams in contention.
On the other hand, AC Milan will be eager to put some distance between them and Bologna and concentrate on finishing second in the standings. With local rivals Inter Milan 16 points ahead on top of the table, getting past Juventus will be their top objective for the rest of the campaign.
The reverse fixture saw AC Milan beating Lazio 2-0 at San Siro, with Christian Eriksen and Noah Okafor finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Lazio
Maurizio Sarri does not have many concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against AC Milan on Friday, the Lazio manager will be bereft of the services of two first-team players, with Patric (ankle) and Nicolo Rovella (groin) the only ones unavailable.
The home side will likely line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Ivan Provedel taking his spot between the sticks. The backline should feature Manuel Lazzari, Elseid Hysaj, Nicolo Casale, and former AC Milan captain Alessio Romagnoli.
As for the midfield unit, Matteo Guendouzi, Danilo Cataldi, and Luis Alberto should form a dynamic trifecta. Cataldi and Guendouzi will be primarily defensive-minded in their approach, while Luis Alberto will look to provide the creative impetus.
Meanwhile, the offensive trifecta should see Ciro Immobile spearheading the Lazio attack against AC Milan. Felipe Anderson and Gustav Isaksen will support the veteran Italian striker in the final third with their directness.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Provedel, Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Guendouzi, Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Isaksen, Immobile, Felipe Anderson
AC Milan
Like his counterpart in the Lazio dugout, Stefano Pioli does not have many issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Stadio Olimpico. The AC Milan manager will be without two first-team players on Friday.
Luka Jovic remains on the sidelines due to a suspension after seeing red against AC Monza two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Tommaso Pobega is still in the treatment room due to a hamstring injury.
Mike Maignan will take his usual spot between the sticks, with AC Milan lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against Lazio. The backline should feature Alessandro Florenzi, Malick Thiaw, Matteo Gabbia, and Theo Hernandez.
As for the midfield unit, Ismael Bennacer will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, with Tijjani Reijnders and Ruben Loftus-Cheek supporting him in the middle of the park. Finally, Olivier Giroud should lead the line for the away side, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Maignan; Florenzi, Thiaw, Gabbia, Hernandez; Reijnders, Bennacer, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Giroud, Rafael Leao
Key Stats
- Lazio have lost their last two matches against AC Milan in Serie A, failing to find the back of the net.
- Lazio and AC Milan have not played out a draw in any of their last ten matches in Serie A, with the Biancocelesti winning thrice and the Rossoneri clinching seven victories.
- Lazio won 4-0 in their last home league match against AC Milan and have not beaten the Rossoneri in two successive games at Stadio Olimpico under the same manager since 1976.
- Lazio have lost three of their last five Serie A games (W2), as many defeats as they had suffered in their previous 14 league matches (W8 D3).
Player to Watch
Christian Pulisic
The 2023/24 season began with a bang for Pulisic, who arrived from Chelsea eager to make his mark. But the 25-year-old has blown hot and cold since then, with Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud having to step up in the last few months.
So, with AC Milan’s form leaving much to be desired, Pulisic needs to step up and support Leao and Giroud better in the final third. That can start on Friday, and if he helps deliver three points to the away side, that can be the catalyst for a turnaround for the USMNT international.
Prediction
Lazio 1-2 AC Milan
Friday’s match will host two teams that will be desperate for a win for different reasons. So, a keenly contested affair should be on the cards, especially considering what is at stake and the sketchy form of both clubs.
Lazio last suffered two successive defeats this season in August. But history might repeat itself over half a year later. Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud should turn up on Friday, delivering the goods and handing AC Milan a close 2-1 win over Lazio. But Felipe Anderson should score a late goal to make things tricky for the away side.
