On Sunday, Lazio will play their first competitive match of the season, when they host Mantova in the opening round of the Coppa Italia.
Lazio Preparing to Host Mantova in Coppa Italia
The contest will take place at a virtually empty Stadio Olimpico, as the organized Lazio fan groups will continue to boycott all home fixtures this season. Although the circumstances are far from ideal, Gennaro Gattuso will be excited to make his official debut in the dugout, and his starting XI should feature a couple of new faces.
Danilho Doekhi & Alfonso Pedraza Set for Lazio Debuts
According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, the manager will start with Christos Mandas in goal, with Oliver Provstgaard and Danilho Doekhi at the heart of the backline. The Dutch defender will be making his bow after joining the club on a free transfer, as will Alfonso Pedraza, who will start at left-back. Adam Marusic will complete the four-man defence.
Lazio vs Mantova | Coppa Italia | Where to Watch, Insights, Lineups & Prediction
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru Gets the Nod in Midfield
In the middle of the park, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru will be given a chance to prove his worth before making way for new signing Davide Frattesi in the coming weeks. The Nigerian international will start alongside Nicolo Rovella and Kenneth Taylor.
Tijjani Noslin to Start on the Right Wing
Finally, Boulaye Dia will lead the backline, as Gattuso prefers him over Petar Ratkov, who, despite a positive pre-season, is still facing an uncertain future. The Senegalese striker will be flanked by his captain Mattia Zaccagni and Tijjani Noslin, who seemingly won his duel against Matteo Cancellieri.
The Lazio Absentees
Lazio will be without a host of players, beginning with Patric and Samuel Gigot, who have been struggling with injuries since the start of pre-season. Danilo Cataldi and Gustav Isaksen both underwent groin surgery in recent months, and will only return to training in the coming weeks.
Moreover, Nuno Tavares has yet to recover from the muscle problem he picked up early in the summer, while Gabriele Artistico is out with a slight calf injury.
Lazio Probable XI (4-3-3): Mandas; Marusic, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Pedraza; Dele-Bashiru, Rovella, Taylor; Noslin, Dia, Zaccagni.
Lazio seemingly is trying to push Ratkov out of the door.
It’s hard to make a case for Dia being the leading striker, he scored 1 goal in 1250min over 27 appearances in Serie A last season.
While in the friendlies failing to score against Flaminia, Avellino, Ascoli and Frosinone in 247min. While he had numerous chances.
Perhaps it’s a double strategy, in which they also want to showcase Dia and ensure that he’s match fit so that clubs are more willing to pounce on him.
The idea though that Lazio would start the Serie A with Dia being the main striker, is utter madness.
If Dia starts scoring from now on, I’d be the first to laugh about it. But just highly doubt it will happen.
We doomed with lotito unfortunatly.
No lazio until he is gone