Lazio and Juventus meet in a vital clash at the Olimpico
Lazio and Juventus, who both have 63 points – the same as Roma and one more than Bologna – are set to meet in a huge clash at the Olimpico.
The Biancocelesti, who lost the reverse fixture following a Gila own goal, have alternated between drawing and winning in their last six matches, with Baroni’s men picking up three points in their last outing away to Empoli. Having drawn level with the Bianconeri, they now want to move ahead of them.
In the same period – since Tudor replaced Thiago Motta – Juve have earned one point less than their next opponents. After their 1-1 draw against Bologna last week, the Bianconeri want a win to hold onto fourth place.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Juventus are the team with the most wins against Lazio in Serie A: 87 vs 36 victories for the Biancocelesti (D38). Overall, the only side defeated more times by a single opponent in the top-flight are Inter (88 by Juventus).
Lazio have won two Serie A home games in a row against Juventus for the first time since 2001 and could win three successive matches on home soil against the Bianconeri for the first time since May 1956.
DID YOU KNOW?
already once, between November and February, the Biancocelesti have gone 11 games without repeating the same result twice in a row (W5 D2 L4).
Lazio have drawn their last five Serie A home games, the last time the Biancocelesti drew six meetings in a row on their own patch in the competition was back to 1991.
For the first time in Serie A, at matchday 36, there are three teams with the same number of points and with at least 60 points (Juventus, Roma and Lazio); in particular, Lazio and Juventus will meet on equal points in both seasonal games for the first time in the top-flight.
Igor Tudor, who has been Lazio manager for nine Serie A games at the end of 2023/24 season, has only picked up two points in his first three league away matches against Juventus. The last Bianconeri’s coach to have failed to win in his first four Serie A meetings on the road was Cestmir Vycpalek in 1971.
Juventus have conceded 94% of their goals (30/32) from inside box in the current Serie A season, with no other side suffering more by percentage (also 94% Roma).
Despite only being 10th for high turnovers (208), Lazio rank second for shot-ending high turnovers in Serie A in this season with 46, behind only Lecce (47).
PLAYERS
Boulaye Dia scored last time out whilst Lazio have won 11 points thanks to his nine goals in Serie A this season – the most among players who have netted fewer than 10 goals this season.
Khéphren Thuram has scored four goals and provided five assists in Serie A in this season, both his best tally between Italian top-fight and Ligue 1 (four goals also in 2021/22 for Nice). Should he find the net against Lazio, he could become the first Juventus midfielder with at least five goals and five assists since Miralem Pjanic in 2017/18 (5G, 8A).
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: Hysaj (Lazio) Yildiz (Juventus)
Cautioned: Rovella, Zaccagni, Pellegrini(Lazio); Cambiaso, Thuram, Weah, Savona (Juventus)
REFEREE
MASSA (BACCINI – BERTI) IV: GUIDA, VAR: MAZZOLENI, AVAR: CHIFFI
UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A
Inter-Lazio
Juventus-Udinese
