Serie A Week 15 kicks off early, with Internazionale traveling to Rome to face Lazio. The host spent much of the first part of the season sitting comfortably in first place, but a recent dip in form has allowed AC Milan to snatch the top slot, leaving Lazio three points behind in second. Inter Milan, meanwhile, have not been the poster-child for terrific form either, often looking like a shadow of last season’s treble-winning side.
Italian Serie A, Week 15: Lazio Face Tough Test Against Slowly Strengthening Inter Milan
The blame for Inter's woes can't be pinned entirely on Rafael Benitez, even if the manager's position may be tenuous. The side continue to struggle with injury, with defenders Maicon and Walter Samuel, midfielder Cristian Chivu, striker Diego Milito and first-choice goalkeeper Julio Cesar still out. To add to their troubles, Samuel Eto'o is in the middle of a three game suspension for head-butting Chievo's Bostjan Cesar. In fact, Inter are totally without a traditional striker and will use Wesley Sneijder and Goran Pandev to lead their attack. Fortunately for the visitors, midfielder Thiago Motta returned from injury last week against Parma, scoring almost immediately after taking the pitch as a substitute.
Lazio may look better on paper, considering they have no significant injury concerns and are four points up on Inter, but the Biancoceleste have won just once in their last five matches and look to be regressing back to where their true talent lies, which is more in the upper-mid table range. Inter haven’t lost at the Stadio Olimpico in seven years, and it seems unlikely that will change tonight. Lazio have struggled in recent weeks to control the ball in midfield, and considering Inter will field something like twelve midfielders tonight, Lazio will likely spend much of the match just chasing the ball.
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