Lazio have clinched Champions League qualification for next season. On the final day of the Serie A campaign, the Biancocelesti can finish second by holding off third-place Internazionale.
Lazio cannot finish any lower than third having had a fantastic season under Maurizio Sarri.
⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽📺 𝑴𝑨𝒀 𝑮𝑶𝑨𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵Le tre reti Caputo, le due di Cambiaghi e Piccoli, i gol di Akpa Akpro, Luperto e Stojanovic, l'autogol di Lucumì; rivedi tutti i gol azzurri del mese di maggio pic.twitter.com/C5MdbavWvK— Empoli Football Club Official (@EmpoliFC) May 31, 2023
⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽📺 𝑴𝑨𝒀 𝑮𝑶𝑨𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵Le tre reti Caputo, le due di Cambiaghi e Piccoli, i gol di Akpa Akpro, Luperto e Stojanovic, l'autogol di Lucumì; rivedi tutti i gol azzurri del mese di maggio pic.twitter.com/C5MdbavWvK
Their final opponent of the season will be Empoli. The Azzurri will make the trip to the Stadio Olimpico with Serie A football to look forward to next season.
Empoli are 14th after a solid campaign. They have already taken 43 points from 37 matches. Twelve points separate Empoli from the bottom three, as they picked up points consistently throughout the campaign.
The last two matches between Lazio and Empoli in Serie A finished as draws. Meanwhile, the last three Serie A fixtures featuring these teams ended with more than 2.5 goals scored.
The reverse fixture saw Lazio take a 1-0 lead into halftime courtesy of a Felipe Anderson goal. Mattia Zaccagni doubled Lazio’s lead after halftime. The capital club couldn’t hold onto the lead, however. Empoli scored twice in the final seven minutes through Francesco Caputo and Razvan Marin to draw.
Lazio are on a two-match winning streak ahead of the final day. A 1-0 win over Udinese was followed by a 3-2 victory against Cremonese. The Biancocelesti are the fifth-highest-scoring team in Serie A with 58 goals.
There has been a scoring dropoff this season for Sarri’s team. Striker Ciro Immobile, so often a contender for the Golden Boot, has only 12 goals. Forward Zaccagnia, who scored in the reverse match, has 10 goals in Serie A.
Empoli are unbeaten in their last five games. They took 11 points from the last 18 points on offer. The Azzurri scored just 37 times in 37 matches this season. They aren’t great in the final third, but capable of getting timely goals.
Nicolo Cambiaghi leads the team in goals with just six. Sixteen different players have scored for Empoli this season.
Sarri will be without defender Adam Marusic due to a hernia injury. Midfielder Danilo Cataldi is unlikely to play following a calf muscle injury.
Empoli coach Liam Zanetti will be without Marin following a calf injury. Marin scored in the reverse fixture to help Empoli snatch a draw. Defender Koni De Winter is also ruled out. He has a knee injury.
Lazio should finish the season on a high note. Sarri’s team has played well all season and should post a 2-1 home win on the final day to clinch second place.