Lazio vs Sassuolo

Lazio and Sassuolo are set to square off in a dead-rubber Serie A affair at the Stadio Olimpico.

Igor Tudor’s arrival came too little too late for Lazio, as they’re on the verge of surrendering a proud record of finishing above their arch-rivals Roma across the past four seasons. It’s been a campaign of decline for ‘I Biancocelesti,’ who finished runners-up in 2022/23, five places better than they will in 2023/24. However, European qualification is a foregone conclusion following an inspiring seven-game unbeaten league run (W5, D2), bookended by a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw at Inter Milan last weekend. Conceding an 87th-minute equalizer denied Lazio a chance to fight for sixth place on the final weekend, but they could still achieve a flattering feat. Owners of a five-game winning home streak in Serie A, the hosts could make it six on the trot for the first time since May 2021.

Visiting Sassuolo are seemingly incapable of stopping that from happening after relinquishing an 11-year tenure in Italy’s top flight with a game to spare. Davide Ballardini’s late effort to salvage the visitors’ elite status failed epically, with back-to-back defeats in the wake of a heroic 1-0 home win against Inter condemning ‘I Neroverdi’ to relegation. It’s nothing less than they deserved for only winning once across their last 11 league outings (D3, L6). Leaving the comforts of the Mapei Stadium in their farewell Serie A fixture is an ominous sign, not least because of Sassuolo’s sub-par tally of nine points from 18 away league matches (W2, D3, L13)! They’re unlikely to hit a 10-point landmark on the road if their woeful run of five wins from the last seven visits to the Olimpico is anything to go by (W1, D1).