Lazio vs Cagliari prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-12-01 17:00.
Ciro Immobile scored twice late on in a 2-0 win over Celtic on Tuesday to lead Lazio to the last 16 in the UEFA Champions League. The hosts have work to do domestically though, as they start this Serie A (SA) round outside the top ten with only 17 points to their name – their lowest tally after 13 matches since the 2013/14 season.
That European victory on Tuesday was a much-needed antidote to the sombre mood in the camp, after a 2-1 defeat at Salernitana last weekend made it three league games without a win (D1, L2). It’s not all doom and gloom for the Eagles as they have soared at the Stadio Olimpico this term, going unbeaten in their last eight competitive encounters, including five victories in the last six (D1), raising hopes of a turnaround in their current league form.
Facing Cagliari won’t be the worst nightmare to say the least, as the visitors haven’t won a SA H2H since May 2013 (D3, L13 hence). There’s rarely been a more opportune time for Claudio Ranieri’s men to halt that unwanted run, as they start this round of fixtures only marginally above the relegation zone. Being 17th masks their recent upturn in form however, as the Sardinians have won 80% of their points this season across their last five league games (W2, D2, L1).
That improvement has almost exclusively been down to improvements at home though, as Cagliari are yet to triumph on their travels this league campaign and have lost four of their last five SA trips (D1). Each of those five matches has seen them concede at least two goals, highlighting a possible problem area.
Key battle: Immobile has netted in his last five SA H2Hs, so to ease the reliance on the Italian, Lazio will hope there’s an impact from Felipe Anderson, who has three contributions (G1, A2) across his last three league H2Hs. Looking to subdue the duo will be one of the tasks facing Alberto Dossena, but don’t rule out the defender making an impact at the other end of the pitch, as he has scored Cagliari’s last two goals.
Hot stat: Cagliari have dropped points in four of the five SA matches in which they have gone 1-0 up in 2023/24 (D2, L2).