Fonseca in search of maiden win as Milan visits Lazio.
Reeling from recent setbacks, Lazio and AC Milan clash this Saturday at 19:45 [GMT+1] in Rome, with both sides hungry to rediscover their winning form.
Lazio
Lazio picked up a disappointing 2-1 loss to Udinese last time out. Despite a strong start to the season with a win over Venezia, Lazio quickly fell behind against the Little Zebras, conceding a goal in the first five minutes.
With Udinese reduced to 10 men in the second half, Lazio could only manage a late goal from Gustav Isaksen in stoppage time. The defeat ended an eight-match unbeaten streak dating back to last season and represents a significant challenge for new head coach Marco Baroni, who wants his side to bounce back against Milan this weekend.
However, with recent poor results against the Rossoneri, Lazio could suffer back-to-back league defeats. The Biancocelesti have lost their last three Serie A encounters with Milan without scoring, including a 1-0 defeat in Rome six months ago.
While Baroni might settle for a draw if defeat appears imminent, Lazio and Milan have not drawn in Serie A since November 2018. A 4-3-3 formation with Valentín Castellanos in attack is expected against Milan. Mattia Zaccagni and Tijjani Noslin could team up with the Argentine in attack.
Meanwhile, Luca Pellegrini and Mario Gila are both ruled out for Lazio.
Milan
AC Milan’s shaky start to the season under new coach Paulo Fonseca comes as a surprise to many, despite several commendable additions. The Rossoneri are coming off the back of a shocking 2-1 loss to newly promoted Parma.
While the result left eyelids batting, it was the manner of the defeat that was more worrying. Milan were practically picked apart defensively, with Parma having several clear-cut chances which they failed to convert.
It was the first time since 2011 that Milan failed to win their first two league matches, leaving Fonseca turning on his defensive line in a post-match interview. Meanwhile, an impressive record against the home side will leave Milan confident of picking up at least a point on Saturday, having won five of their last six matches against Lazio.
In addition, a win here would leave Milan with back-to-back away victories over Lazio following a 1-0 away win in March. Already in the limelight over Milan’s poor start to the season, failure to pick up three points before the international break will leave Fonseca under immense pressure.
On Saturday, the 51-year-old manager is expected to deploy a 4—2—3—1 with Luka Jović in attack. Álvaro Morata remains sidelined until mid-September following a muscle injury.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.