Saturday 31st Match 2012, 7.45pm GMT (live on ESPN)
Lazio’s target with just nine league games remaining is simple: to retain third place and to qualify for next season’s Champions League. They were handed a huge boost last weekend when both Napoli and Udinese dropped points, giving the Romans a three point advantage over their closest competitors.
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| Captain Tommaso Rocchi will lead the line for Lazio tomorrow |
This weekend represents another opportunity for Edy Reja’s men to tighten their grip on third place: Napoli – who face Lazio next week – travel to Turin to take on unbeaten Juventus, while Udinese – who are less efficient on the road than Lazio – travel to Siena. Reja's injury list isn’t quite as long as usual (the recent return of Rocchi, Mauri and Brocchi is a huge boost in the race for third place), but it does contain the name of top scorer Miroslav Klose, who is expected to miss at least the next two weeks with a thigh injury. Senad Lulic is also injured, as is defender Marius Stankevicius. Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga and striker Raffaele Palladino have also been sidelined by injuries.
Parma have managed just two wins since coach Roberto Donadoni took over in January, though most of their games in 2012 have ended as draws. Will we see another draw tomorrow? Possibly, but Lazio possess far more talent in their ranks than the Crociati (even without Klose and Lulic), and if sufficiently motivated the visitors should earn all three points. This is a risky call, as Sebastian Giovinco and former Lazio striker Sergio Floccari are bound to pose problems for the Biancoceleste defenders, but I think the odds on offer for a Lazio win make a small wager worthwhile.
Prediction – Lazio to win – 4 pts
Match odds: Parma 6/4
Draw 21/10
Lazio 9/5
