The Rome Derby: Can Lazio sustain Scudetto push?
The first Rome Derby of 2020 takes place this Sunday, with Roma the organised hosts this time around. Lazio are just one place above Paulo Fonseca’s men in third, however the gap is larger than that. A win would put the perceived visitors 10 points clear of their local rivals and in turn see them overtake Inter Milan and occupy second spot, a victory away from catching Juventus, who are in pole position to win a ninth consecutive Scudetto. The spotlight is firmly hanging over goal machine Ciro Immobile for this crucial matchup, yet the Whites and Sky Blues were breached on Tuesday evening, exiting the Coppa Italia thanks to a 1-0 loss in Naples.
Unsung hero
33-year-old epic Lazio servant Stefan Radu has been pivotal in Simone Inzaghi’s three at the back formation. The Romanian has been hooked off frequently lately in order to adjust the shape but that should not take away from how important he has been in Lazio’s rise in the last few months. His strengths are keeping it simple, winning the ball back or breaking up play for the team and being a strong link man in possession, transitioning the ball out to wide and central midfielders, with his pass completion rate just under 90%.
Entering his thirteenth year with the club, Radu is edging closer to 400 appearances and is a great role model for the younger players in the squad. He has developed an excellent relationship with central defender Franceso Acerbiin recent years and Inzaghi is now reaping the rewards. With the side proud owners of the second-best defensive record in the division.
Reverse fixture
The Yellow and Reds escaped with a share of the spoils in the second game of the Serie A season, and they were fortunate to do so. Lazio won the expected goals (xG) battle 2.4-1.18, and if you disregard Aleksandar Kolarov’s early converted penalty, Roma would have produced less than 0.4 xG against their rivals, a damning statistic on a team who have had an impressive rebuilding season thus far under new management.
Since then it must be said that Lazio have been scoring above their equivalent xG measure, suggesting they will not be able to sustain this incredible run, however some argue they have creative players from enough angles to continue to cause defensive catastrophes.
Local Derby
It is a leveler; form can go out the window in these types of matches. Which is what Roma will be hoping for having lost their previous two home games to Juventus and Torino respectively. Additionally, Serie A wise Lazio are coming off thumping Sampdoria 5-1 and beginning to convince many they are title contenders.
Expect a feisty atmosphere off and on the pitch, to which Lazio have greater offensive quality, and that could separate the teams on the night.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
The Romans traded goals in the first half, with the aforementioned Francesco Acerbi grabbing the equaliser. But 1-1 it finished, your stake remains intact.