After following the best result of their season with one of the worst, Lazio seek to get back on track in Serie A, as they visit Bologna on Saturday.
The Aquile travel to Stadio Dall'Ara having toppled league leaders Napoli before losing at home in the Europa Conference League; meanwhile, their hosts' fine recent record was dented by defeat to Torino at the start of the week.
Match preview
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Still basking in the glow of victory over Serie A's champions-elect, Lazio welcomed Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar to Rome on Tuesday and were quickly brought back down to earth.
Proving unable to hold onto an early lead earned by Pedro, they ultimately lost 2-1 in the first leg of their Europa Conference League last-16 tie, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic striking the crossbar in pursuit of an equaliser.
With a deficit to make up next week, Maurizio Sarri's men will hope to continue their improving domestic form before travelling to the Netherlands, as they have won each of their last three league matches without conceding a single goal.
Following defeats of two struggling sides, Salernitana and Sampdoria, Matias Vecino thumped home the winner against Napoli last Friday; inflicting the Azzurri's first home loss of a stellar Serie A season and securing their own grip on a top-four place.
Lazio have scored the first goal more times than any other team in Italy's top flight this term, and on 13 of those 20 occasions - as at Stadio Maradona - they have gone on to taste victory.
Such a record is partly due to their defensive organisation under Sarri, and his side can set a new club record for away clean sheets in a Serie A season by shutting out Bologna on Saturday. They have posted eight already - a tally matched only by Arsenal throughout Europe's top five leagues.
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Bologna's record in that regard contrasts starkly with their counterparts from the capital: after winning 1-0 against Inter at the end of last month, they are now aiming to keep successive clean sheets at home for the first time since 2019.
While they are not accustomed to keeping opponents at bay for a full 90 minutes, no team has won more games than the Rossoblu after conceding first (four, equal with Napoli and Udinese), so they surely fancied their chances of fighting back from behind again after going one down to Torino on Monday night.
Despite having over an hour left to respond, Thiago Motta's men could not even find an equaliser, and an impressive three-match winning run on the road came to its conclusion.
Still occupying eighth spot in the standings - but now just one point ahead of ninth-placed Torino - Bologna have nonetheless won five of their last eight fixtures, and they have fared well at home to Saturday's opponents in recent times.
Though they have lost four of their last six Serie A games against Lazio - including the most recent two - ahead of the Aquile's visit this week, the Emilian side have won both of the teams' last two meetings at Dall'Ara.
Team News
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Maurizio Sarri's plans for fighting on two fronts - at home and in Europe - were hit earlier this week, as star striker Ciro Immobile was ruled out of the defeat to AZ and he may now be sidelined for up to a fortnight.
While Lazio's captain hopes to return in time for the Derby della Capitale later this month, his latest absence of an injury-scarred season should be covered by Felipe Anderson, with the Brazilian operating in a 'false nine' role. Pedro continues to wear a mask to protect his broken nose and will join Mattia Zaccagni alongside Anderson in the visitors' front three.
Meanwhile, in midfield, Luis Alberto has previously delivered six assists against Bologna in Serie A, and in defence, Manuel Lazzari deputises for the suspended Adam Marusic at right-back.
Bologna's Marko Arnautovic recently recovered from an injury which had kept him out for several weeks, but Joshua Zirkzee or Musa Barrow may instead start up front as Arnautovic has crossed swords with coach Thiago Motta.
Despite a dry spell more recently, Barrow has been involved in four goals in two home appearances against Lazio in Serie A - one of his own and three assists - while Riccardo Orsolini is a certain selection on the right flank: the latter has played a part in six of the hosts' last seven league goals.
Gary Medel could make an increasingly rare start, to add some steel to Motta's lineup, but Nicolas Dominguez - out injured last week - is also a contender to take Nikola's Moro's place in central midfield.
Bologna possible starting lineup:
Skorupski; Posch, Lucumi, Soumaoro, Cambiaso; Schouten, Dominguez; Orsolini, Ferguson, Soriano; Zikzee
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Milinkovic-Savic, Vecino, Alberto; Pedro, Anderson, Zaccagni
We say: Bologna -Y Lazio
Even without Immobile's goals, Lazio have the ability to inflict a fourth home defeat of the season on Bologna, whose momentum was stalled by their trip to Turin. Also benefiting from playing in Europe on Tuesday rather than Thursday, the visitors can bounce back from their own disappointment and extend some fine form in Serie A.
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