Juventus vs Lazio

A definition of a high-stakes affair sees 31-time Serie A champions Juventus and current runners-up Lazio go head-to-head at the Allianz Stadium in the final round ahead of the World Cup break.

Juventus’ abysmal nine-game Serie A start (W3, D4, L2) looks like a distant history after Massimiliano Allegri’s high-flyers strung together five consecutive league victories ‘to nil.’ Despite a severe injury crisis, the record-time Italian champions have hit their stride, beating fierce rivals Inter Milan 2-0 in their most recent home league outing. Having clawed their way into the Serie A top four, ‘I Bianconeri’ have partially redeemed themselves to devastated fans following a first Champions League group stage elimination since 2013/14. Allegri intends to keep Juventus’ return to prominence firmly on track, with his side enjoying a sensational 19-match scoring streak against Lazio in Serie A. Indeed, they have netted 2+ goals in each of their last four top-flight H2Hs in Turin (W3, D1).

In the meantime, Lazio’s pursuit of their first top-four Serie A finish since 2019/20 has been off to a flying start, with Maurizio Sarri’s side registering an eye-catching 86% unbeaten ratio across the opening 14 league rounds (W9, D3, L2). Lazio claimed a narrow 1-0 home win over top-flight debutants Monza in midweek to not only consolidate their position in an evenly-contested top-four race but post a third win in their last four Serie A outings (L1). The visitors’ newly-found defensive strength has provided the backbone for I Biancocelesti’s stellar domestic campaign, with only Juventus (7) conceding fewer Serie A goals than Sarri’s side (8) thus far. But it’s worth noting that only one of those goals has come outside the Stadio Olimpico!