This weekend, we have one of the fiercest rivalries in football in Rome as Lazio host AS Roma in a race for top 4!
Lazio and Roma are currently separated by just one place in Serie A with Roma at 5th and Lazio at 6th, however they are separated by 6 points and this is a must win for Lazio if they want to keep their top 4 hopes alive. Meanwhile, Roma could go above AC Milan to 4th place this weekend if they were to win and Milan were to lose/draw.
Lazio have been in disastrous form in the past couple of weeks, they’re winless in 4 consecutive games having lost 3, drawn 1 and they only managed to score 1 goal in these 4 games. This has put them in a tough place in the league putting them 7 points away from top 4, knocked them out of Europe and they now have a result in San Siro in the cup to stay alive there. Not a good few weeks for them.
Roma meanwhile have turned their form around. Ever since blowing a 0-3 lead to Atalanta and getting thumped 7-1 by Fiorentina in the cup, Roma have drawn 1 and then won 4 straight games in all competitions and have scored 10 goals in them. Roma do have a very good run in Serie A right now going unbeaten in 8 in a row in the league winning 6 of those which has put them within 1 point of top 4 as mentioned before.
Lazio haven’t been quite amazing at home in Serie A, they’ve been up and down just like their whole season they’ve won 6, drawn 3, lost 3 in front of their fans. They’ve been just slightly better at home than on their travels.
Roma have improved on their travels lately, after picking up just 9 points from first 9 away games, they’ve picked up 10 points in their last 4 travels winning 3, drawing 1 of those 4 away games.
Key players for this game are Ciro Immobile for Lazio. Their star striker hasn’t been getting on the scoresheet in 3 games since injury but nevertheless he’s their top scorer with 11 goals in Serie A and will have to step it up to get Lazio out of their slump. Meanwhile for Roma, Edin Dzeko is the man to watch, although he’s not been quite as prolific this season he is coming off a game where he bagged a brace and should have a lot of confidence entering this match. Stephan El Shaawary is another player to watch as he’s their top scorer with 8 in Serie A. These two got to show up if Roma want to win.
Roma and Lazio have been quite a feisty derby over the years, the most recent 5 meetings have had 27 bookings so we anticipate cards to be shown this weekend especially given the magnitude of this game.
Roma won the reverse fixture against Lazio in front of their fans 3-1. Roma have been able to get the better of the two in the recent years winning 7 of last 10 H2H meetings.
Roma have also managed to get the better of Lazio when Lazio have been the home team. Roma only lost in 1 of their last 6 travels to Lazio which was the cup, they’re unbeaten in 5 straight away league games against Lazio keeping 3 clean sheets in the process (3W 2D).
Despite the recent H2H and form, Lazio are tipped as bookies favourites to win this weekend at 2.45 while Roma are offered as slight underdogs at 2.90 while draw is offered at 3.55. Odds based on TonyBet.
Team News
Lazio: Wallace, Valon Berisha and Jordan Lukaku are all unlikely to feature, however the rest of the team are now healthy.
AS Roma: Rick Karsdorp, Kostas Manolas, Cengiz Under and Patrick Schick are all unlikely to feature this weekend.
Betting Stats
Lazio have covered 58.3% of their total goal overs at home (7-5).
Lazio have covered 41.7% of their 1st half goal overs at home (5-2-5).
Ciro Immobile is Lazio’s top scorer at home with 7 home goals in Serie A. He’s also got 2 in their lone Coppa Italia home game.
Lazio average 2.17 bookings per game at home (26 bookings in 12 games).
Lazio have only covered 33.3% of their Handicaps at home (4-8).
Lazio have covered 50% of their 1st half Handicaps at home (6-2-4).
Roma have only covered 38.5% of their total goal overs away from home this season (5-8), but they have covered 3 straight away overs prior to this game.
Roma have covered 30.8% of their 1st half total goal overs away from home this season (4-4-5).
Roma average 2.31 bookings per game away from home in the league this season (30 bookings in 13 games).
Edin Dzeko is Roma’s top scorer away from home in the Serie A with 7 away league goals. All of his league goals have come on his travels this season.
Roma have covered 38.5% of their Handicaps away from home this season (5-4-4).
Roma have covered 46.2% of their 1st half Handicaps away from home this season (6-7).
KICK OFF – 2nd March 2019 – 7:30pm UK Time
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