Saturday evening brings us the Rome derby between Roma and Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico and although Roma are now out of the running for European football for next season.
Nevertheless, this fixture brings the intensity of a local derby and the associated bragging rights.
After a string of average and disappointing results, AS Roma now occupy 7th place and more importantly, find themselves nine points adrift of their rivals, Lazio, who sit comfortably in the last European spot, thanks to Roma managing to win just two of their last 10 matches overall.
Both of these wins were registered at the Stadio Olimpico with victories over Bologna and Crotone but six defeats within this period ensured that the hosts would miss out on a top six finish this season.
Results and form at home however have been pretty solid for Roma who have Won 12, Drawn 4 and Lost 2 to date this term along with failing to score just twice in their total of 18 matches played at home this season.
First-choice keeper Lopez, defender Spinazzola, and midfielders, Diawara and Veretout are expected to miss out through injuries.
Lazio sit safely in 6th place in Serie A safe in the knowledge that they can’t be caught and will feature in the upcoming UEFA Conference League qualifiers courtesy of producing a strong sequence of results in the run-in of this season’s Serie A campaign.
Lazio have won eight out of their last 10 matches in the Italian top flight and this has helped the ‘visitors’ into a top six finish and although Lazio’s recent results away from home have been disappointing (losing five of their last seven on the road), for this clash we need to look at their home form as they share the Stadio Olimpico with Roma.
Lazio have won their last 12 matches on the trot at the Stadio Olimpico which will surely give them plenty of confidence in getting one over their local rivals and joint-tenants this Saturday, while they’re expected to be missing just one absentee for this upcoming encounter.
Midfielder Milnkovic-Savic is suffering from a broken nose and is likely to be sidelined but otherwise, Lazio manager, Simone Inzaghi, has a clean bill of health.
Six of the last nine meetings between these two sides have resulted in both teams scoring and this Saturday could be no exception.