Lazio vs Sassuolo

Stadio Olimpico is the venue as underperforming Lazio and high-flying Sassuolo go head-to-head in a potentially high-scoring Serie A encounter.

Lazio’s top-six credentials took another hit right on the stroke of March’s international break as they fell to a humiliating 3-0 defeat to arch-rivals Roma. A couple of underwhelming losses which sandwiched a brace of wins ‘to nil’ saw ‘I Biancocelesti’ drop to seventh in the Serie A table, two points below sixth-placed Atalanta. Back at the Stadio Olimpico, where they are unbeaten in six of their last seven league games (W3, D3), Maurizio Sarri’s men will seek revenge on Sassuolo for a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at Mapei. Although Lazio’s three-game H2H league form in the nation’s capital looks suspicious (W1, D1, L1), the Stadio Olimpico faithful could be in for a treat. The last five top-flight H2Hs at this venue have witnessed over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet, highlighting the potential for a high-scoring affair.

On the other hand, Sassuolo took no prisoners en route to fashioning a late top-six bid as they went unbeaten in six consecutive Serie A fixtures (W4, D2) prior to the international break. Sassuolo’s resilience against sides starting the day in the upper half of the table has been off the charts in Serie A of late, with no defeat from their last ten such match-ups (W6, D4). Moreover, Alessio Dionisi’s men have scored an impressive average of 2.3 goals per game during that ten-match sequence, which has been the case in their last three Serie A road trips (W2, D1). Notably, only table-topping AC Milan (33) have netted more away league goals than Sassuolo (32) this season. However, the visitors’ defensive frailties have seen them concede at least once in 14 of their 15 Serie A travels.