Lazio vs Plzen prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-03-12 17:45.
[p]Despite finishing the first leg with nine men, Lazio beat Viktoria PlzeĆ 2-1 to become the first team in UEFA Europa League (UEL) history to win a game in which they were behind or level when they went down to nine men. Thatâs given them a huge advantage here, and they simply need to avoid defeat to secure their first quarter-final appearance in a UEFA competition since 2017/18.[/p]
[p]With only one defeat across their last eight competitive matches (W4, D3, L1), Lazio should feel confident of reaching that milestone, while theyâre also unbeaten in their last 12 home UEL matches (W7, D5). In fact, since the start of 2024, Lazio have only been beaten at home once by a scoreline big enough to see them knocked out inside 90 minutes here, while youâd have to go back to 2016 for their last 2+ goal home defeat in the UEL![/p]
[p]After their painful defeat in the first leg, PlzeĆ suffered an unsatisfying goalless draw against relegation-threatened Pardubice in the Czech First League, although their spot in the Championship round is at least already assured. Despite their recent downturn in performances, PlzeĆ shouldnât be written off as they overturned a first-leg deficit in the knockout play-off round, beating FerencvĂĄros 3-0 in the second leg to advance.[/p]
[p]That second leg was at home, and this promises to be a much sterner challenge, not least because PlzeĆ have lost five of their last six European trips to Italy, with the only exception being their 3-0 win at Napoli back in 2013. Those games form part of a wider downward trend of just two wins across their last 18 away UEL matches (D5, L11), so PlzeĆ will have to defy the odds here to advance, not least because their last away victory in the knockout stage of this competition came in February 2014 against Shakhtar Donetsk. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Lazioâs Gustav Isaksen scored the winner in the first leg last week, which was the fifth of his last six UEL goals to arrive after the break. Including his equaliser against Lazio, Rafiu Durosinmi has similarly scored nine of his last 15 goals for PlzeĆ after the break.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Lazio have scored before the break in six of their last eight competitive matches.[/p]
[p][i]Written by TomĂĄĆĄ VlasĂĄk[/i][/p]