The highly anticipated Derby between Lazio and AS Roma in Serie A Liga Italia is coming up, with kick-off scheduled for 20th March 2023 at 00:00 (UTC+7).
Currently, AS Roma ranks fifth in Serie A’s standings, two points behind Lazio, who occupy third place. The two teams have faced off against each other 167 times in domestic competitions since the 1929-1930 season, with AS Roma having dominated with 61 victories compared to Lazio’s 46 wins, while the rest ended in a draw.
However, Lazio has had the upper hand in their ten most recent encounters, with four wins, three draws, and three losses. During this period, Lazio managed to maintain six clean sheets and scored a total of fifteen goals, making them the second-highest scorer in the top five European leagues after Barcelona.
Lazio might be coming off a disappointing UEFA Europa League campaign defeat to AZ Alkmaar in the round of 16, but they are still in excellent form in Serie A, having only one loss in ten games, including a win over this season’s Scudetto contender, Napoli. On the other hand, AS Roma’s journey in European competitions continues after they secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League by beating Real Sociedad on aggregate.
Both teams are facing a crucial challenge in this Derby Ibu Kota matchup, with Lazio aiming to maintain their Champions League zone spot, while AS Roma is seeking a comeback from their recent struggles to secure a place in the same league. Lazio will be without Ciro Immobile due to injury and Matias Vecino following his suspension, forcing manager Maurizio Sarri to field Pedro, Felipe Anderson, and Mattia Zaccagni in attack.
AS Roma will also have to deal with absences, with Rick Karsdorp out due to injury and Marash Kumbulla receiving a suspension. Manager Jose Mourinho might start with Paulo Dybala and Tammy Abraham in the attacking midfield.
With both teams exhausted after their European campaigns, this Derby Ibu Kota is likely to be a close encounter, with only a slim scoreline expected to separate the two sides. Our prediction for the game is that Lazio will win 1-0 against AS Roma, but anything could happen in this highly-anticipated matchup.
