Zenit Vs Lazio
Zenit Vs Lazio Wednesday 4th November 2020 – 17:55 Kick-Off
UEFA Champions League Group F
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker: Betway
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 2nd November 2020)
Preview: With zero points gained so far in Group F, Zenit are under immense pressure to deliver in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday.. The Russian club welcome Lazio to the Gazprom Arena, with the Italians sitting pretty atop the standings having accrued four points from a possible six.
UEFA Champions League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Zenit Preview – Lions incapable of shutting up shop?
Late goals have been the undoing of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 Russian Premier League champions, whose first two group games have followed an eerily similar pattern. After a goalless first half, first at home to Club Brugge (1-2) before travelling to Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund (2-0), they would eventually succumb in the second as they failed to register a single point in either encounter.
Zenit exited in last season’s group stage, finishing fourth despite a healthy tally of seven points from their six matches, and are running the risk of trudging down the same path should Sergei Semak and his players not pick up points soon. With defeats on each of their outings in the competition so far this season, the Russian side have now won only two of their past eleven matches in the Champions League (W2 D1 L8).
Victory on Sunday on their return to domestic duties would at least garner a first win in four competitive contests, thus bringing an end to a three-game losing run that seen them ship exactly two goals in each. A 2-0 success away at FC Khimki also marked a first clean sheet since the middle of September, a run of six matches conceding on at least one occasion. Four, meanwhile, comprised both teams scoring.
Lazio Preview – Goals at both ends the norm?
Banking on clean sheets could prove a frustrating, and largely fruitless, endeavour when following Lazio this season. Since marking the beginning of 2020-21 with a 2-0 Serie A victory away in Cagliari, the Biancocelesti have been unable to keep their next seven opponents at bay, conceding fourteen times across that sequence. It is just as well, then, that the Italians boast a considerable threat themselves.
Lazio are averaging just shy of two goals a game this term (14 in as many games), contributing four over the weekend in their remarkable comeback victory in Serie A away at Torino. The final 4-3 scoreline, courtesy of late strikes from Ciro Immobile and Felipe Caicedo, overturning a 3-2 deficit and ensuring a fourth consecutive game – and a sixth in seven – in which both teams found the back of the net.
This was of course true in both Group F contests. Mighty impressive first time out as they quickly set about putting Borussia Dortmund to the sword, racing into a 2-0 lead in a 3-1 triumph in Rome, the Italians were then fortunate to depart Belgium with a 1-1 draw against Club Brugge. That was, in fairness, a makeshift side fielded by Simone Inzaghi, who can welcome 2019-20’s most prolific marksman back into the fold.
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Zenit Vs Lazio Betting Advice
The majority of the pressure ahead of this clash falls upon Zenit, who in a worst-case scenario – a loss here coupled with Dortmund winning in Belgium – could end Matchday 3 seven points adrift of the top two and four behind third. Lazio, meanwhile, can consolidate their hold on top spot with three points. And with last season’s European top scorer, Ciro Immobile, back available, the visitors begin as tentative favourites.
Zenit Vs Lazio – Key Facts
- Russian league champions in 2019-20, Zenit are still to pick up their first points in Group F following losses to Club Brugge (1-2, h) and Borussia Dortmund (2-0, a).
- Fourth in italy last term, Lazio sit atop Group F having inflicted a 3-1 defeat upon Borussia Dortmund in Rome and earned a 1-1 draw in Belgium with Club Brugge.
- The clubs are meeting for the first time. Zenit winning three of last 13 European games (W3 D1 L9) while Lazio have lost eight of their last twelve such fixtures (W3 D1 L8).
Both teams to score has landed in all but one of these teams four contests in Group F and is a trend which could very well continue in Saint Petersburg. Zenit have failed to score in just one of their last nine matches in league and Europe, of which six featured both teams scoring. Meanwhile, Lazio’s eight encounters this season returned both teams to score six times including each of the past four. Lazio & Both To Score appeals at 4/1 (Betfair).
Best Betting Odds – Zenit Vs Lazio
Zenit – 7/4 (Betfair)
Draw – 12/5 (Bet365)
Lazio – 17/10 (Betway)
