Saturday’s Serie A Fixture sees us host another tough team in Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico. It will be a crucial match for Juve as they are chasing Napoli for the Scudetto and for us keeping 3rd place and in the race for Champions League football next season.

The Opposition

Stretched along three fronts, Juventus are suffering from fatigue and a list of injuries ahead of this vital fixture. Although the Old Lady is undefeated since last November, their performances have been rather poor: drawing in the Champions League with Tottenham, and the Coppa Italia tie against Atalanta reflecting that fragility. In the latter, the winning goal came from a controversial penalty. Juan Cuadrado and Federico Bernardeschi are suffering injuries, while Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala have just returned from time out. Mandzukic is also reportedly unfit ahead of this clash in the capital. It is puzzling for Massimiliano Allegri how he will plan his front-line in his coming two trips to Rome and London.

Last Time Out

A very disappointing elimination from the semi-final of the Coppa Italia after being knocked out on penalites by Milan. However, the most disappointing thing about the defeat is that we were the better side in both legs but couldnt take our chances and score goals. Milan gifted us countless chances but we just struggled to capitalise on them and that saw us leave the semi-final empty-handed. Even with the penalty kicks we had more than one chance to progress, after Strakosha saved two penalties in a row, but Milinkovic and Lucas didnt capitalize on it. Strangely enough Luiz Felipe stepped up to take a penalty kick ahead of De Vrij and Radu, which in the end was the crucial one, with the young Brazilian firing his kick way over the bar.

Team News and Predicted Lineup

After playing 120 Minutes on Wednesday alot of players will be feeling exhausted ahead of the Juve game. Dusan Basta is set to come in to the game as a replacement for the suspended Marusic and it looks like Wallace will be coming into the Starting XI to replace a tired Caceres. Other than that, it is thought that Luis Alberto will start ahead of Felipe Anderson, with Anderson and Lukaku probably to be deployed as second-half substitutes.

Prediction

Lazio 1-2 Juventus

I feel this is a game coming at a bad time for Lazio, having played some 120 minutes against Milan midweek and with Europa League clashes against Kiev just around the corner. Juve lost at home in the reverse fixture and despite the injuries they appear to be plagued with, I think they will come away with the three points as they look to keep pressure up on Napoli.