Lazio take on Inter at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Matchday 21 of the 2021/22 Serie A.
Inter Team News & Expected Starting Lineup
Inter have a record of 14W-4D-1L (46 points) and sit in first place in Serie A.
Their recent league match against Bologna was suspended due to rising Covid-19 cases in the Bologna squad, which meant the local health authority (ASL) placed the team into quarantine for seven to ten days. Inter’s most recent fixture was back on December 23 versus Torino, where the Nerazzurri won 1-0. It was a tight affair between the two sides with Denzel Dumfries scoring the winner at the half-hour mark.
Simone Inzaghi will likely be without Martin Satriano and Alex Cordaz as they continue to recover from Covid, in addition to Hakan Calhanoglu (suspension). Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez is on four yellow cards and is at risk of a one-game suspension.
Inter’s Probable Starting Lineup vs Lazio: Inzaghi Cannot Rely on Calhanoglu
Player to Watch: Denzel Dumfries
Denzel Dumfries has scored in three of his past four Serie A matches. The wing-back had a slow start to the year, coming over from PSV Eindhoven this past summer. Transitioning from the Dutch league to the Italian league had taken him some time yet the player has started to settle in with Inter and will likely be a threat down the right flank.
Lazio Team News & Expected Starting Lineup
Lazio have a record of W-D-L (32 points) and sit in eighth place in the top flight of Italian football.
In their recent match against Empoli, Lazio struggled defensively but put forth a resilient effort as they fought back on two separate occasions. Within the first ten minutes, Lazio conceded two goals to find themselves trailing 2-0. However, the home side responded well as Ciro Immobile and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic each scored to tie the match at 2-2. With 15 minutes remaining in the match, Federico Di Francesco scored off a defensive error and regained the lead; but in the 93rd minute, Milinkovic-Savic scored his second goal of the match to allow Lazio to secure a point.
Francesco Acerbi will be unavailable to Maurizio Sarri for this fixture. The Italian center-back suffered an injury in their recent match versus Empoli. Luis Alberto, Adam Marusic and Danilo Cataldi are on four yellow cards and are at risk of a one-game suspension.
Lazio’s Probable Starting Lineup vs Inter: Leiva in Defence & Zaccagni on the Wing
Player to Watch: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is having a tremendous campaign for Lazio. The midfielder has scored seven goals and contributed seven assists in nineteen Serie A matches, including four goals and three assists in the past five league fixtures. Furthermore, Milinkovic-Savic has been successful versus Inter – he has scored in five straight Serie A matches against the Nerazzurri.
Match Prediction
Lazio have won three of the past six matches versus Inter in Serie A. However, they have only managed to secure a victory at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza against the Nerazzurri in just three of their previous ten meetings. The Biancocelesti have struggled defensively this season, only managing to secure two clean sheets in twenty Serie A matches, and being without pillar Francesco Acerbi will not make things easier for them.
Inter 3-1 Lazio