Sassuolo vs Lazio
Italian Serie A
Date: Saturday, 1st April 2017
Kick-off at 17:00 UK / 18:00 CET
Venue: Mapei Stadium.
The international break must have felt twice as long for Lazio, who saw their great run of form ruined two weeks ago. They slipped to a 0-0 draw away to Cagliari, a side who have been wide open at the back this season. That result saw them fall off the pace in the race for next season’s Champions League. However, third placed Napoli host runaway leaders Juventus on Sunday, so this meeting with Sassuolo could be a perfect time for the Biancocelesti to close the gap. Time is running out for them to end their excellent season inside the top three.
Sassuolo, on the other hand, would be happy to finish the campaign in the top half of the league. This has been a roller-coaster for the Neroverdi, which started off with them in Europe for the first time, and at one point had them flirting with relegation. There’s little stability at the club right now, having contended with a long injury list all season. On top of that, manager Eusebio Di Francesco is being linked with a move away.
Despite Sassuolo’s struggles this season, they showed signs of life against Lazio’s neighbours Roma. While they put in an impressive display in their last fixture, the Neroverdi ultimately lost 3-1. Returning to the MAPEI Stadium isn’t something the hosts will be excited about, given their awful run of form at home. Di Francesco has seen his side lose 57% of their matches there in Serie A this term, scoring just 14 goals and averaging 1.14 points per game.
The hosts boast the fifth worst home record in the league, and things are getting worse for them. Sassuolo have lost four straight home games, while they’ve conceded in five straight outings at the MAPEI. They pit that record against a Lazio team who have won four of their last five on the road, scoring 1.71 goals per game. Given that the Neroverdi have lost 43% of their home matches without scoring a goal, the visitors’ scoring record should help them to pick up some crucial points.
The Biancocelesti have the fourth best away record in Serie A, while they’ve picked up five wins in six trips. The form ahead of this clash points to an away victory, yet you can get generous odds of 8/11 with bet365 for Lazio to come out on top. We’re backing the visitors to boost their top three hopes, while we’re also backing them to claim a 2-0 victory. Sassuolo have failed to score in five of their last seven at home, and we’re backing that run to continue.
Sassuolo vs Lazio: Head-to-head
Lazio lead the overall head-to-head with 4 wins from the 7 games, while Sassuolo won in 2.
Six of those seven meetings had seen over 2.5 goals. And both teams have scored in 5 of those.
Lazio won the reverse fixture of the current campaign by a 2-1 margin.
The three meetings at the Mapei Stadium saw the teams share a win and a draw.
Sassuolo vs Lazio: Prediction
Lazio are the fourth best away side in the league and were beaten just three times from the 14 road games so far. They have gathered good momentum in the quest for a top 3 finish. Sassuolo are coming on the back of five consecutive home defeats in all competitions. And Lazio could pile further misery on the hosts by making it 5 home defeats on the bounce.
Sassuolo vs Lazio: Bet Tips
BTTS and Lazio to win at 3.25.
