Prediction: Lazio vs Verona

Verdict: Ciro Immobile to score

Best odds: 13/20

Bookmaker: 888sport

Lazio will play host to Verona at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday when the two teams go head to head in the closing match of the 22nd Serie A round. It will be a clash of two teams with very different targets in terms of the end-of-season standings, but it should still be an interesting one as both sides need these points to get where they want to be.

Lazio

Lazio’s season has been tremendous, at least when we’re talking about the domestic competitions. It’s been a long time since they were a serious participant in the title race halfway through the season, but that’s where they are now. With 21 games played, they will begin the match against Verona in third place, two points behind Inter Milan in second, and just five points off leaders and title defenders Juventus. If they win, the Old Lady will be well within their reach, with one round potentially enough to see them go top, and their current form is certainly an encouraging factor. Since the back-to-back draws against Bologna and Atalanta in October, they’ve won 12 league games and drawn only one, against their city rivals AS Roma.

They’ve already beaten the champions to one trophy this season when they defeated them directly in December and took the Supercoppa Italiana to Rome. Two weeks before that, they beat them in the league as well.

In Europe, they didn’t do so well. They got eliminated from the Europa League’s Group E, with Scottish Celtic and Romanian CFR Cluj both finishing above.

But it only makes it obvious that they focus is at home, and they will continue to fight for every point out there, aiming to win the privilege to wear the Scudetto for the first time since 2000.

Team News

Head coach Simone Inzaghi is unlikely to have forward Joaquin Correa and defender Danilo Cataldi at his disposal. However, midfielder Luiz Felipe could be back. All three players are having calf problems.

Verona

Verona’s form at the moment isn’t bad either, considering. They didn’t taste defeat in any of their last six matches, not since they lost to Atalanta in early December. It’s interesting to note that the good runs of both teams begin after games against the black-and-blues of Bergamo.

Verona reside in ninth place in the Serie A table at the moment, which is not bad by any means for them. The table is much congested in that region, and their sum of 30 points is shared by Napoli in 10th and Bologna in 11th. Looking up, AC Milan, Parma and Cagliari are only two points above, which means a win would see Verona climb all the way to sixth. It should serve as a huge motivation for the visitors, with a place in next season’s Europa League certainly not beyond their reach, the way things are going. A defeat, meanwhile, would have them drop one place lower.

Much like Lazio, Verona seem to be putting all their eggs in one basket this season since they were seen out of the Coppa Italia in round three by Serie B side Cremonese back in August.

Team News

Coach Ivan Juric will be without the services of midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who is serving a one-match ban after getting sent off in the 1-1 draw against Milan on Sunday. Eddie Salcedo could be back from a knee problem, but a decision on the 18-year-old forward’s involvement is yet to be made.

Conclusion

Lazio seem unstoppable at the moment. However difficult the game, however good the opposition, they always somehow find a way to win. Anything other than that would be a great surprise when they meet Verona, and the brilliant Ciro Immobile is likely to make his mark again. The Lazio striker is now on 25 Serie A goals from 21 games – a remarkable output indeed.

Verdict: Ciro Immobile to score

Best odds: 13/20

Bookmaker: 888sport