Before football was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, Lazio had extended their unbeaten run in Serie A to 21 games, a run which has kept them hot on the heels of leaders Juventus.
While the enforced break came at the wrong time for the Rome-based outfit, Simone Inzaghi has at least had more time to work on different strategies in order to keep pace with the champions of the past eight years.
Although all eyes will naturally turn to the showdown between the two clubs on July 20, I Biancocelesti first have to negotiate a testing schedule before that visit to Turin.
First up is an away clash at fourth-placed Atalanta BC on June 24, before meetings with Fiorentina, Torino and AC Milan are played in quick succession.
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On paper, there is an ease in the schedule with games against Lecce, Sassuolo and Udinese, teams who all sit in the bottom half of the standings at this time.
However, the tussle with Juventus represents the first of three difficult away fixtures to close the season, the next of which comes at Hellas Verona.
Although Inzaghi will be confident of collecting maximum points at home to Cagliari and Brescia, they must take on Napoli at Stadio San Paolo on the final day of the campaign.
With Roma facing Juventus on the same day, it throws up the possibility of Lazio having to rely on their fierce rivals to do them a favour in Turin.
Lazio's remaining fixtures in full
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Atalanta BC (a) - Wednesday, June 24 at 8.45pm
Fiorentina (h) - Saturday, June 27 at 8.45pm
Torino (a) - Tuesday, June 30 at 6.30pm
AC Milan (h) - Saturday, July 4 at 8.45pm
Lecce (a) - Tuesday, July 7 at 6.30pm
Sassuolo (h) - Saturday, July 11 at 4.15pm
Udinese (a) - Wednesday, July 15 (kickoff time to be decided)
Juventus (a) - Monday, July 20 at 8.45pm
Cagliari (h) - Thursday, July 23 at 8.45pm
Hellas Verona (a) - Sunday, July 26 (kickoff time to be decided)
Brescia (h) - Wednesday, July 29 (kickoff time to be decided)
Napoli (a) - Sunday, August 2 (kickoff time to be decided)
All times are BST
Darren Plant
