Lazio will host Feyenoord in Group E of the Champions League on Tuesday. The Serie A team heads to Stadio Olimpico hoping for some retribution after losing 3-1 at De Kuip last month. A win would move them up to the top of the standings in the Netherlands.
Preview (Lazio vs. Feyenoord)
Lazio’s unsatisfactory start to the season continued when they lost badly at Feyenoord two weeks ago. At halftime, they were behind two goals and had only survived only to a late penalty kick from Pedro. After a slow start that saw them linger in the bottom half of the Serie A rankings, Maurizio Sarri’s team had gone on a promising run of three straight league victories, but that run came to an end on Friday.
Lazio were defeated 1-0 by the Emilian team, who moved up to the top of the table, in Bologna’s Stadio Dall’Ara due to their inability to muster more than one shot on goal and the ineffectiveness of both their deputy, Taty Castellanos, and second-half substitute Ciro Immobile. The Biancocelesti will look to bounce back by defeating Feyenoord for just the second time in six meetings ahead of next week’s Derby della Capitale against city rivals Roma. The Biancocelesti defeated Feyenoord 4-2 in the Europa League last season.
Their overall goal is to advance safely from Group E. They are still in the running after winning their first two games with four points each. Dramatic stoppage-time goals from veteran winger Pedro and goalkeeper Ivan Provedel defeated Celtic and Atletico Madrid, respectively. Lazio has not only scored in their previous 15 Champions League group games. They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 22 games in Europe’s premier club competition.
Team News
With Taty Castellanos withdrawing from an offensive trident, Lazio’s captain Ciro Immobile should start in the starting lineup on Tuesday after his brief appearance in the team’s humiliating loss to Bologna the previous game. Pedro, who had only scored twice in his previous 35 Champions League games. He has scored in each of his last two appearances. He is by no means guaranteed a spot in that front three. If he scored again in the middle of the week, he would tie Cristiano Ronaldo as the only player 36 years of age or older to have scored in three straight competition games (five in 2021).
Despite having a number of attacking alternatives at his disposal, Maurizio Sarri will be without two first-choice defenders when they play Feyenoord. An ankle ailment forced Adam Marusic out of the game on Friday during the second half. Nicolo Casale’s thigh issue may keep him out until after the forthcoming international break. Meanwhile, Yankuba Minteh, a Newcastle United loanee, is still recovering from a hamstring injury. The visitors will once more be without the services of Captain Gernot Trauner.
The Croatian winger Luka Ivanusec’s prompt recovery has increased Feyenoord’s offensive capabilities ahead of their trip to Stadio Olimpico, despite the Gambia international’s absence. While the latter finished his comeback after a six-week absence on Saturday, midfielder Mats Wieffer was unable to play because of illness. Calvin Stengs had produced more chances(14) than any other player in the Champions League this season at the halfway point of the group stage, with half of those coming from the team’s most recent 3-1 victory over Lazio. When these teams last played in Rome, Santiago Gimenez scored two late consolation goals, so Stengs begins in his place.
Lazio 1 – 1 Feyenoord
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