LAZIO V AC MILAN: MATCH PREVIEW

This will be a tough away match that comes at a pivotal stage of the season for the Rossoneri: matchday 34 of Serie A, with just five games to go, and Lazio v AC Milan is next up, at stadio Olimpico in Rome. The Rossoneri will take to the pitch at 20:45 CEST and will look to continue their rich vein of form in the league, which is now 11 games old as they aim to take the top spot. Here is our customary preview of the game at hand.

THE LATEST FROM MILANELLO
It has been imperative to put our Coppa Italia disappointment behind us over the last few days and focus on our return to league action. Coach Pioli will have two key men back, in Ante Rebić and Zlatan Ibrahimović, even if it’s just from the bench. Ismaël Bennacer will not be in the matchday squad, due to the sprained ankle he sustained in the derby. Florenzi and the long-term absentee, Kjær are also unavailable. The list of players carrying yellow cards remains at just two: Romagnoli and Brahim.

Stefano Pioli's comments from his press conference on the eve of the game: "We are aware of the purple patch we're experiencing at the moment, which has seen some of the most electrifying and exciting football that we‘ve played. Our fans have won the Scudetto before and have had so many over the years. This can only give us that extra boost at the Olimpico".

THE LATEST FROM LAZIO
It has been a strange week for Lazio, who have recovered several players in their squad over the last few days, following a flu outbreak. The only two certain absences are Marusić (serving a suspension) and Pedro. Immobile, Luiz Felipe and Patric are the other three cautioned players in the Biancoceleste squad. Sarri's team come into this one off the back of two wins and a draw after their derby defeat and are looking to catch up with rivals Roma in the race for Europe.

AC Milan are a strong team and don’t concede many goals, " Maurizio Sarri stated at his press conference. “We have already met them twice this season and they've won comfortably on both occasions. The margin was clear, so this time, we hope to reduce it. We hope that tomorrow can be different to past meetings."

PRE-MATCH
The Rossoneri goal hasn't been breached for 564 league minutes; the last goal conceded was that scored by Udogie during AC Milan v Udinese on 25 February: the Rossoneri have accumulated 6 consecutive clean sheets in Serie A, but have been unable to achieve 7 in a row, since February 1994. Thus far in 2022, the Rossoneri have conceded just the 7 goals in the league (in 14 matches), with only Liverpool (six goals conceded in 13 games - 0.46 per match) with fewer goals conceded per game on average than the Rossoneri (0.5 per match). After their 2-0 home victory, AC Milan now have the opportunity to keep back to back clean sheets in Serie A, against Lazio, for the first time since 2005/06 (2-0 in the first, then 0-0 in the second).

THE LATEST FROM SERIE A
Marco Guida will be the man in the middle at the Olimpico: he was part of the 1981 class of the Torre Annunziata section and now with 175 Serie A matches to his name. His 30 previous games officiating the Rossoneri, have seen a record of 14 wins, 8 draws and 8 defeats. The last time he took charge of the Rossoneri, was the second derby on February 5th: the 2-1 comeback in which Giroud lead us to victory.

Matchday 34 is split across three days. Yesterday, on Saturday 23 April, there were four games played: Torino 2-1 Spezia, Venezia 1-3 Atalanta, Inter 3-1 Roma and Verona 1-1 Sampdoria. Today the program opens with Salernitana v Fiorentina at 12:30 CEST, then Empoli v Napoli and Bologna v Udinese at 15:00 CEST, Genoa v Cagliari will kick off at 18:00 CEST and Lazio v AC Milan at 20:45 CEST. The matchday will be wrapped up tomorrow, with Sassuolo v Juventus at 20:45 CEST.

Here’s how the league looks at the moment: Inter 72*; Milan 71*; Napoli 67; Juventus 65*; Roma 58; Lazio 56*; Fiorentina 56*; Atalanta 54*; Hellas Verona 49; Sassuolo 46*; Torino 43*; Udinese 40*; Bologna 39*, Empoli 37; Spezia 33; Sampdoria 30; Cagliari 28*; Salernitana* 25; Venezia*, Genoa 22* (* played one game less).

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