AC MILAN v LAZIO: OPPONENT REVIEW

The Champions League derby showdown mustn’t be a distraction: AC Milan have a match against Lazio to play, and it’s a crucial encounter in the race for the top four. On matchday 34, Sarri’s side, who sit six points ahead of the Rossoneri, will arrive at San Siro buoyed by their win over Sassuolo.

The Biancocelesti have really stepped things up in the second half of the season, climbing the league and reaching a position that no one predicted at the start of the campaign. Lazio have picked up 25 points in their last eleven Serie A fixtures (W8, D1, L2), more than any other side in the same period. Nevertheless, they have lost two of their last three games, with these defeats coming against Inter (at San Siro) and Torino. It certainly won’t be easy for AC Milan, who will also be aware that the team from the capital have scored in eight of their last nine away fixtures in the league and kept six clean sheets in the process.

LAZIO ARE SOLID AND ATTACK AS A TEAM
With Sarri constantly asking his players to take up the right positions in all the various playing situations, Lazio have been particularly solid in defence. The Biancocelesti have kept the most clean sheets on the road across the Top Five European divisions (eleven in 16 games). Furthermore, for the first time in their history, the Biancocelesti have recorded 19 shutouts in a single Serie A campaign (their previous record was 18 clean sheets in 2006/07).

While it’s not easy to score against this Lazio side, there’s also a need to remain fully focused when they attack. Second behind Napoli when it comes to attacking moves with at least ten passes (445), Sarri’s side stand out in terms of involving every player as they patiently look to find gaps and strike. Lazio have the best shots-to-goal percentage (14%), while 51% of their shots have been on target - again, the highest figure in Serie A. The Biancocelesti are also leading the way in terms of finding the net from big chances (58%). In other words, when they get shots away and when they find space, they very often punish their opponents, irrespective of who has the final effort. The Rossoneri defence will have to be fully focused right from the get-go, also because AC Milan will be up against one of the three sides who have scored the most goals in the opening 30 minutes of matches (17, the same as Inter and Napoli).

LUIS ALBERTO IS A REAL CREATOR AND IMMOBILE WANTS GOALS
Maurizio Sarri’s bow can shoot multiple arrows, all of which are very sharp. This Lazio side have many attacking players who can make a difference at any moment. The most in-form men right now are Felipe Anderson, who bagged in the team’s last match against Sassuolo and reached the milestone of 50 goals across the Top Five European leagues (40 for Lazio and ten for West Ham), and Mattia Zaccagni, who is enjoying a fantastic season in terms of goals (ten) and assists (six). Then, at the centre of the attacking trio, there’s the ever dangerous Ciro Immobile, who has been involved in nine goals in his last eight appearances against AC Milan in the league (seven goals and two assists).

Deserving a separate paragraph is the brains of the outfit: Luis Alberto. The Spaniard, who made his Serie A debut against AC Milan at San Siro on 20 September 2016, has scored three goals against the Rossoneri in the Italian top flight and often made a decisive contribution. Only against Fiorentina (four) has he bagged more in Italy’s top division. After his goal in the reverse fixture, the talented midfielder could score in both encounters against a single opposition side in the same Serie A season for the very first time.

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