Lazio kickstart their Coppa Italia campaign with a Round of 16 clash against Thiago Motta’s Bologna.
Kick-Off Time, Location & How to Watch
The match between Lazio and Bologna kicks off at 18:00 local time at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
To find out how to watch Lazio vs Bologna in your respective country, check out this verified list of international TV listings.
Lazio vs Bologna: Recent History
Lazio started 2023 off on the wrong foot, dropping points from winning positions against both Lecce and Empoli, but Maurizio Sarri’s side finally bounced back in their third outing away to strugglers Sassuolo, picking up a hard-fought 2-0 win. It was a vital result for the Biancocelesti, giving them some much needed confidence following the World Cup break.
Bologna’s season has recovered following the appointment of Thiago Motta earlier in the campaign. The team sit 11th in the league table and have won two of their last five outings, beating Hellas Verona and Udinese, putting them far away from a possible relegation battle.
In the first half of the season, Lazio picked up a tense 2-1 win over Bologna.
Lazio vs Bologna: Team News
The only negative coming from Lazio’s win over Sassuolo was the injury suffered by talismanic striker Ciro Immobile. The 32-year-old was forced off the pitch after just 15 minutes, clutching his right thigh, and he will not be in the squad for the Coppa Italia clash with Bologna. Mario Gila is also unavailable, dealing with a foot issue.
Bologna have a long list of injuries heading into the game. Kevin Bonifazi, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Nicola Sansone, Marko Arnautovic and Nicola Bagnolini are all unavailable, heavily restricting Thiago Motta’s options across the pitch.
Expected Starting Lineups
Sarri is expected to rotate his Lazio squad a little for the clash with Bologna, deploying Luis Maximiano, Marcos Antonio and Toma Basic. Felipe Anderson is expected to fill in for Immobile in the centre of the frontline.
Motta will have to make a few changes to the squad that beat Udinese on the weekend, with Musa Barrow, Andrea Cambiaso and Gary Medel expected to start.
Lazio (4-3-3): Maximiano; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Vecino, Marcos Antonio, Basic; Zaccagni, Felipe Anderson, Pedro.
Bologna (4-3-2-1): Skorupski; Posch, Soumaoro, Lucumi, Cambiaso; Dominguez, Medel, Aebischer; Orsolini, Soriano; Barrow.
