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Roma vs Lazio
15 May 1945hrs
Football – Italy – Serie A
Pick Lazio
Bookmaker William Hill
Odds: 6/5 odds taken 2000 GMT, Thursday 13 May
The Rome derby is one of the most ferocious in European football and Lazio simply have to beat Roma if they are to maintain hopes of making the top four.
Table of Contents
Roma Preview – Do Juve have what it takes to to defeat the champions and keep their top four hopes alive?
The big news around Roma is the imminent arrival of Jose Mourinho who will take charge of the club starting this summer as Paulo Fonseca departs. It’s one Portuguese coach for another but the profile surrounding Mourinho is on a different scale to who he is replacing. Fonseca has been in charge for two seasons without reaching the top four and that will be the minimum expected going forward with investment expected.
Roma’s form of late has been extremely disappointing and they find themselves in seventh spot, nine points behind their arch rivals Lazio who also have a game in hand. It means it will be the second straight season where they finish below their neighbours and also with the distinct possibility of having no European football at all next season.
Their last 10 games have seen them win only two games and both of which have been at home and against teams in the bottom half the table. Most concerning however is they have lost six of those games and conceded in eight of the 10 matches.
Defensively they have just now been good enough and they have conceded the most of any teams in the top half which is something that the new head coach will look to address as he looks to build a team capable of challenging in Serie A.
Lazio Preview – Will Conte work his magic and rub salt in the wounds of his former club?
Last weekend didn’t go to plan for Simone Inzaghi and his players but it remains to be seen how damaging defeat away to Fiorentina will be for their hopes of making the top four and playing Champions League football next season. It’s made it harder no doubt but currently in sixth, they are six points behind Napoli but do have a game in hand over all the teams above them.
That game in hand will come against Torino in midweek. Considering they’re at home and the trouble their opponents are in at the moment then it’s a match you would expect them to take three points in.
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Before that Lazio simply have to get the win here in order to take their chance in the final two matches. They also have to hope that teams playing against their rivals for the top four do them a favour and get a result. With Atalanta to play Milan next weekend there is still hope there as well.
Inzaghi – who might will be Mourinho’s long-term replacement at Tottenham – has seen his team lose five of their last seven away from home in Serie A. Although this will be played at their own stadium it’s not a record they wish to extend.
Roma vs Lazio Betting Advice
It’s a huge game regardless of the circumstances and Roma – who essentially only have pride to play for – will be going all out to ruin their rivals’ chances of finishing in the top four, once and for all. Lazio simply have to win and hope and they will be looking to do the league double over them having won 3-0 in their home derby back in January.
Key Facts – Roma vs Lazio Betting Tip
- This will be Paulo Fonseca’s penultimate game in charge of Roma with Jose Mourinho replacing him from next season
- Lazio have to win their final three matches and hope for favours if they are to finish in the top four
- It was the blue half of Rome celebrating back in January, running out emphatic 3-0 winners
The visiting team are favourites for a reason. Whilst they are the away team in name it’s stadium where they have won the last 12 in the league. I’m taking them to add to that incredible run.
