After extending their perfect start in continental competition, Lazio return to domestic duty on Sunday, when they welcome Genoa to Stadio Olimpico.
Aside from last week's Serie A loss to Juventus, the Biancocelesti have been in superb form of late; meanwhile, their injury-hit visitors are seeking a first win since August.
Match preview
© Imago
Having kicked off their Europa League campaign with convincing wins over Dynamo Kyiv and Nice, a 2-0 victory over FC Twente kept Lazio top of the league-phase standings on Thursday night.
Marco Baroni's men benefited from a moment of madness by the Dutch side's goalkeeper, who was sent off after just 11 minutes at De Grolsch Veste, where goals from Pedro and Gustav Isaksen wrapped up their third straight success.
Ahead of last week's 1-0 league defeat to Juventus - in which Alessio Romagnoli's early dismissal left them with 10 men for most of the match - Lazio had claimed maximum points from four straight games across all competitions, representing their best run since the turn of the year.
Dating back to last season, before Baroni took charge, only Juve are currently unbeaten in more Serie A home matches than Lazio, and the Biancocelesti will take a nine-game streak into Sunday's contest: winning seven times throughout that sequence, their last home defeat dates back to March.
However, they are far from flawless, having conceded at least one goal in each of their last 10 league fixtures - the capital club's longest such run since 2010.
Baroni will be keen to post an elusive shutout this weekend, as Lazio have failed to keep a single clean sheet in any of their first eight top-flight games for just a second time in 60 years.
© Imago
Last season, Genoa and Lazio shared the spoils in Serie A, with either side recording a 1-0 away victory, though this week's hosts tipped the balance in their favour by winning a home tie in the Coppa Italia.
The Grifone will set off for Rome this time without a win anywhere for over two months, leaving them languishing inside Serie A's drop zone after eight matches.
Having signed off for the international break with a 5-1 loss to Atalanta BC - their third straight league defeat, added to a painful Coppa Italia exit against city rivals Sampdoria - Alberto Gilardino's side at least showed some spirit to snatch a point last weekend.
Bound for another reverse against Bologna, they recovered a two-goal deficit within the final 20 minutes at Marassi, with Andrea Pinamonti bagging a late brace to send the home fans wild.
Gilardino's job is still on the line, so he will be trying all means to shore up his leaky defence: it is only the third time this century that Genoa have conceded at least 17 goals at this stage of a Serie A campaign.
As a result, they have lost three of their last four away games, after going unbeaten in nine of the previous 10; making them long-shots to prevail at Stadio Olimpico.
Team News
© Imago
After resting a minor foot injury in midweek, Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi should be back in action on Sunday, along with Tijjani Noslin, who sat out the win over Twente amid a three-match UEFA ban.
However, Marco Baroni will be without suspended centre-back Alessio Romagnoli, leaving Patric, Samuel Gigot and Mario Gila to battle it out for selection at the heart of the hosts' defence.
Taty Castellanos is set to return at the tip of a four-man attack, meaning Boulaye Dia - who has scored two goals in his first three Serie A home games for the Biancocelesti - may occupy a slightly deeper role just behind the lone front man.
Meanwhile, Genoa are still struggling with a lengthy list of absences, as first-choice goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini recently joined Junior Messias, Mattia Bani, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Vitinha on the sidelines.
Belgian defender Koni De Winter sustained a muscular injury on international duty earlier this month, while midfield mainstay Milan Badelj is hampered by a similar issue.
Attacking talisman Andrea Pinamonti - the Grifone's top scorer with three league goals this season - therefore bears an even bigger burden. However, he has previously faced Lazio six times in Serie A without finding the net.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Rovella, Guendouzi; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Matturro, Vogliacco, Vasquez; Sabelli, Thorsby, Frendrup, Melegoni, Martin; Miretti; Pinamonti
We say: Lazio 2-0 Genoa
Having rested some key players on Thursday, an in-form Lazio squad should secure another win at the weekend, as they have too much firepower for their ailing opponents.
Now burdened by numerous injuries, Genoa have already conceded a league-high 13 goals during the second half of games this season, so they will eventually crumble.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
