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The Roman outfit were thumped 5-2 by Napoli while the Rossoneri will arrive at the Italian capital after a gut-wrenching 1-2 loss to Sassuolo at home last week. However, both these teams will face lock horns on matchday 33 with a chance of continental football next season in mind.
Hosts are competing for a place in the top-six place against city rivals Roma (7th) and sit in sixth with 58 points and a game in hand. The previous week started in an incredible manner for Lazio with the Biancocelesti handing Benevento a 5-3 defeat last Sunday, but things turned sour in their midweek league clash against Napoli, who in return slumped the Aquile to a 5-3 defeat at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium.
Two consolation goals from Ciro Immobile and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and a dismal defensive performance showed that Simone Inzaghi’s men need to arrange themselves in proper order for the last few weeks of the season. Although, it should be pointed out that Lazio managed these two results without their manager on the touchline. Inzaghi has been absent due to COVID-19, and his players have not been at their very best without him.
The Rossoneri head to the Stadio Olimpico after a terrible midweek loss against Sassuolo at home. Had Atalanta secured a victory over Roma last week, a woeful AC Milan would have slipped from second place in the league table for the first time in months. In an already tumultuous week with off-field ESL distractions, Stefano Pioli’s men couldn’t handle their Emilian visitors and were punished by Giacomo Raspadori’s double in the closing stages of the game.
The seven-time Champions League winners are now ten points behind cross-city rivals Inter and one behind third and fourt-placed Atalanta and Juventus, respectively. So, before they clash against Lazio a number of issues need to be fixed by Stefano Pioli, who faces his former club and has a fantastic record against them, winning both of his last duels. The Rossoneri could also become the first team to register 14 wins out of the first 16 games away from home in a single Serie A season.
Key Players
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has become a Lazio favourite, racking up 241 appearances in his six-year stint in Rome. The Serb has been the engine to Inzaghi’s attacking options this campaign with 18 goal involvements in 28 league matches. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder dominates the pitch with his physical presence, has taken 2.1 shots, and boasts a 78% passing accuracy per game. Being linked with a move to a Premier League giant once more in his career, the midfielder will be looking to end this season on a high note if he leaves this summer.
One of the founding figures of Lazio’s recent successful years and partnering Milinkovic-Savic in midfield, Luis Alberto is certainly one of the most underrated footballers in the world right now. Even without a single assist this season, the Spaniard still seems to have applied himself, creating 59 chances in 28 Serie A games, a figure best in Europe. And rightfully so, the former Sevilla man has been decisive in midfield at the Stadio Olimpico in the 2020/21 season with 2.2 key passes, 83% passing accuracy and 2.4 long balls per game.
Since rejoining Milan from LA Galaxy on a free transfer in December 2019, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has nothing short of exceptional even at the ripe old age of 39. His record of 15 goals in 17 Serie A matches, even in an injury-hit 2020-21 campaign, speaks of his importance to Pioli’s team. The Swede has extended his contract until next season and will lead the Rossoneris in their Champions League campaign next term.
The Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has performed well for AC Milan once again this season. A player who can occasionally make a difference with his rigorous work hard and off-the ball movements, Calhanoglu has scored 3 times and assisted 9 further in 27 league appearances. Interestingly the last seven games where he registered a goal or an assist, Milan has not lost once, winning 4 and drawing 3 in total, and the Rossoneri fans would genuinely like to see him on the scoresheet on Monday.
Prediction
On Monday, Lazio can enjoy a piece of record of their own at the Stadio Olimpico, as the Biancocelesti are on the verge of a 10th consecutive victory at home in Serie A. But before that, a daunting task of beating a hard-fought AC Milan awaits.
Inzaghi has completed his self-isolation and will be back on the bench, and must have warned everyone that further defensive errors will not be tolerated in their hunt for a European spot. Through injury, Lazio will be without Gonzalo Escalante and Luiz Felipe, while Alberto and forward Immobile should be starting for the Aquile despite picking up slight knocks in the previous game.
But the Rossoneri have found themselves in problems lately with some mediocre performance after a great start to the season. Milan has consistently picked up points on the road this season, conceding 14 times until now and remaining favourites for the fixture. Ibrahimovic is expected to start in Rome if passed fit, whereas Theo Hernandez is likely to replace Rafael Leao and Diogo Dalot, respectively.
In the end, given both the clubs’ recent performances, a draw is the most probable outcome for Monday night’s game.
