Lazio vs Inter Milan

Serie A pacesetters Inter Milan head to the Stadio Olimpico to encounter a troubled Lazio side in a blockbuster contest.

Lazio progressed into the Champions League knockouts as Group E runners-up, yet a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in midweek left a bitter taste in Maurizio Sarri’s mouth. The under-pressure Italian manager remains under heavy scrutiny after last weekend’s 1-1 draw at bottom-half Hellas Verona left his side stranded in mid-table. However, with fourth-placed Roma only four points away, ‘I Biancocelesti’ are still within striking distance of a coveted top-four finish. Beating table-topping Inter for a third consecutive home league H2H would be a significant morale boost, and Sarri’s men seem well-positioned to do just that. Since a shocking 1-0 defeat to promoted Genoa in August, they’ve racked up an eye-catching ten-game unbeaten streak on home turf in all competitions (W7, D3), notably keeping a clean sheet in the last six.

As for Inter Milan, a tepid 0-0 home draw against Real Sociedad in midweek Champions League action forced Simone Inzaghi’s side to settle for a runner-up finish in their group, derailing the team’s high spirits ahead of this trip. However, ‘I Nerazzurri’ have excelled in Serie A since a 1-1 draw at Juventus, demolishing Napoli and Udinese by a 7-0 aggregate score across their last two league outings en route to establishing a two-point cushion at the table’s summit. The division’s best-performing travelers haven’t been in a forgiving mood this term, clocking up a league-high 19 points on their first seven top-flight trips (W6, D1). Considering they’ve only conceded twice in that stretch, it’s hardly a surprise they remain the only unbeaten away team in Serie A.