Serie A: Lazio Face an Uphill Climb in Trying to Topple Inter

Inter Milan vs Lazio

Lazio face a tall order this Sunday night as they’ll visit Inter Milan for their second Serie A clash of the 2022 calendar year.

After a slow start to the 2021/22 season, Lazio have shown significant progress as they’ve climbed into the crowded Europa League race. But the 14-point gulf between them and Inter Milan serves as a reminder that they still have a long way to go.

Inter Milan, on the other hand, are peaking at the right time. However, they cannot afford to have a slip-up since city rivals AC Milan are breathing down on their necks.

The Nerazzurri have 46 points while the Rossoneri have 45, while third-placed Napoli have the capability to pounce on an opening especially if they become healthier.

The stage is set for another blockbuster clash at San Siro, so SBOTOP football fans are in for another huge treat this weekend.

Talking Points

Inter Milan are aching to play

Inter Milan might have had a bigger table lead if their Thursday match against Bologna didn’t end on under abnormal circumstances.

Rising COVID-19 cases for Bologna meant that the local health authorities placed the team into quarantine. But with Serie A reluctant to cancel games, Inter Milan were called to warm up before the game as usual.

With no Bologna players available, the game was eventually cancelled, which means a possible default 3-0 win for the Nerazzurri and a deduction of one point for the hosts – to which they’re expected to appeal.

So Inter head into this game somehow well-rested and it’s no secret that they’re eager to grab more points across the board.

There’s good news for Inter as Simone Inzaghi now has more options for his lineup. Edin Dzeko has now recovered from COVID-19 and he’ll get to benefit from their world-class creators once more.

Dzeko will be joined up front by Lautaro Martinez, who is their leading scorer with 11 goals and two assists, while former Lazio man Joaquin Correa should play in from behind these two in the final third.

Lazio must score and not concede more goals

After a horrible stretch in early December, I Biancocelesti have shown improvement and they’ll look to kick off the new year on a high note.

Lazio are on the back of a three-game unbeaten run with wins over Genoa and Venezia, while they were held to a high-scoring draw against Empoli two days ago.

I Biancocelesti have been producing numerous Serie A 2022 highlights as they’ve scored nine goals in the said stretch. Top gun Ciro Immobile has been their main catalyst and he’s being backed up by Pedro, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Felipe Anderson.

However, their defence leaves a lot to be desired and perhaps this is the reason why they remain short of their expectations, as Maurizio Sarri’s team are the first Lazio group to have conceded as many as 37 goals after 20 games in a campaign since 1961.

History

Lazio aim to achieve a double against Inter Milan this term, but their away record is an indication that it’ll be easier said than done.

They have endured six defeats in their last eight Serie A away matches. On the flip side, however, they’ve gone undefeated in four of their last six games against Inter Milan.

Inter Milan, though, are enjoying their second-best undefeated run at home in Serie A since the onset of the 1990’s as they’re now unbeaten in their last 26 home league fixtures.

Their reverse fixture took place in October 2021 where Lazio came from behind to beat Inter Milan with a 3-1 scoreline.

Ivan Perisic’s 12^th-minute penalty gave the Nerazzurri a one-goal lead for a long stretch, but second-half goals from Ciro Immobile, Felipe Anderson, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic got the job done for I Biancocelesti.

Betting Tip

	Inter Milan vs Lazio	Inter Milan Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 1.88
	January 10, 3:45 (GMT+8)

The disparity between Inter Milan and Lazio is exhibited not only in the Italian top-flight standings, but also in the Serie A 2022 odds.

Inter Milan are the huge favourites to win at 1.39, while Lazio are installed as the underdogs at 7.20 and a draw is at 4.80 in the 1X2 market.

Lazio may have had the better of Inter Milan in the reverse fixture nearly three months ago, but this is a different I Nerazzurri and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. Rust may be a concern for the defending champions since they have yet to play this year following a postponement of their game against Bologna, but they should have no problems in beating their visitors this weekend.

 

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