Lecce vs Lazio prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-01-03 15:30.
After just one win in their first 13 Serie A (SA) matches on returning to the top-flight, Lecce finally found some momentum just before the World Cup, racking up their first set of successive SA wins since February 2020. They subsequently sit eight points above the drop zone ahead of the restart, and if combined with favourable results elsewhere, another success could lift them as high as 12th.
When their side drew 1-1 against fellow newcomers Cremonese in early October, many Lecce fans feared the worst from their next five SA home games ā all coming against finishers in last seasonās top-eight. But they have some decent gains from that stern schedule already (W1, D1, L1), conceding no goals inside the first half-hour.
Having had a winter break to get star striker Ciro Immobile back to full fitness, Lazio will hope to get 2023 off to a flying start. Following his injury during a 0-0 draw vs Udinese in October, Lazio have scored more than a single goal in a league match just once, and ended 2022 with a 3-0 humbling at Juventus, leaving them inside the top four only via goal difference.
Despite a 2-1 loss on their last visit to Stadio Via del Mare back in 2020, Lazio do seem like worthy favourites here to get back on track after a streak of four SA road trips won āto-nilā prior to the Juventus loss. That feeling is further underlined by the teamās perfect record from four prior SA away games against promoted sides since Maurizio Sarriās appointment as head coach back in the summer of 2021.
Players to watch: Lorenzo Colombo opened the scoring in Lecceās most recent win, ensuring that all three of his league goals this term have arrived between the 31st minute and half-time. As for the visitors, Immobile scored twice early on in Lazioās last away win over newcomers (4-0 vs Cremonese), while also setting up Pedro for the final blow, to make it a perfect return from six games where theyāve combined for a goal.
Hot stat: Lazio are still the only SA side yet to concede a league goal inside the first 30 minutes of play this season.