AC Milan vs Lazio
AC Milan and Lazio come face to face in a big Serie A match at the San Siro on Sunday. Both teams have got off to a flyer with two victories each, and a win for either could see them at the summit by the end of the weekend.
Milan versus Rome games are box office stuff and this is a classic Italian battle for SBOTOP football fans to enjoy.
Lazio currently hold top spot on goal difference and they will be hoping the international break has done nothing to slow their momentum while Milan too have won their games impressively and the pre-match Serie A 2021 betting odds make it a tight game, giving the Rossoneri a slight advantage due to home advantage.
This game could have huge implications no matter how early in the season. Serie A is hugely competitive and fans of both Milan and Lazio expect Champions League football.
But with Inter Milan, Atalanta, Napoli, Roma, and Juventus all set for a title charge there is never a good time to lose any ground.
Talking Points
COVID-19 positive Giroud is out for Milan
The close season provided plenty of news and intrigue for Milan fans, some good and some not so good.
I Rossoneri lost star stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the summer transfer window but they made some clever moves.
Donnarumma’s replacement in Mike Maignan from Lille put in a superb performance on his Milan debut against Sampdoria as his new team ran out 0-1 winners. I Rossoneri also raided West London to bring in Chelsea trio Fikayo Tomori, Olivier Giroud, and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
But the Serie A 2021 news in Rome threw up a problem for head coach Stefano Pioli this week as coronavirus hit one of his key recruits. Giroud has scored two goals already and he could turn out to be a fine replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in time, but he’s out of this big game having tested positive for COVID-19.
His brace came in Milan’s 4-1 thumping of Cagliari at home and, with Ibrahimovic and Franck Kessie both already out, the French striker will be a big miss.
But that presents a chance for Brahim Diaz to continue his progress. The 22-year-old has started up front in both games so far and scored the only goal in the victory over Sampdoria.
He’s also made an assist, but his overall work rate and contribution to the team has been much greater. And alongside the always dangerous Ante Rebic he’ll give the Lazio defence plenty to think about.
Immobile’s explosive start
The same can be said for the Milan defence marshalled by Simon Kjaer as they will come up against a team which has scored nine goals in their opening two matches, winning 3-1 away to Empoli and 6-1 at home to Spezia, and they have a goalscorer in red hot form.
Top striker Ciro Immobile has burst ahead in the race for the Capocannoniere with four goals, ahead of Roma’s Jordan Veretout who has three.
Immobile seems to get better year by year, maybe inconsistent for Italy but Mr. Reliable for I Biancoceleste. He scored a first half hat-trick against Spezia and looks as sharp as ever.
Alongside Immobile, Brazilian striker Felipe Anderson is also off the mark following his transfer from West Ham.
The return of Jose Mourinho to Serie A as boss of Roma has stoked up the local rivalry in Rome, as if it needed it!
Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri, a fellow former Chelsea manager who knows Milan’s new recruits well, is a steely fellow and he knows how important it is for Lazio fans to finish ahead of their arch enemies.
History
Milan have won twice as many of the head-to-head meetings with Lazio at 28 to 14, with a further 24 matches drawn in all competitions since 1993.
Milan won this corresponding fixture last season 3-2, while Lazio exacted revenge in April in Rome with a 3-0 victory thanks to a brace from Joaquin Correa and a goal from Immobile.
In terms of recent form, both teams are in very good shape. Milan have won three on the bounce and are unbeaten in four, while Lazio have won four and drawn two of the last six.
Betting Tip
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AC Milan vs Lazio | 1X2 Draw @ 3.35 |
| September 13, 00:00 (GMT+8) |
At odds of 2.20, the hosts are favourites to beat Lazio who come in at 2.97 but I’m struggling to separate these two giants of Italian football. Milan’s home advantage will be cancelled out by Lazio’s better injury situation.
It may well be that a draw will topple Lazio in any case with Napoli in particular ready to pounce at the top, but a point apiece would at least keep both teams on the march.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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