Lazio vs. Inter Milan Stadio Olimpico, Rome Italy 2:45 PM EST Sunday May 2, 2010
by Jason Green at Predictem.com
Match Odds: Lazio 7.00 / Inter Milan 1.40 / Draw 4.00
Over/Under: 2.5 goals
Moneyline: Lazio +600 / Inter Milan -222 / Draw +300
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On Sunday night in the Italian capital Lazio hosts Inter Milan in an important Serie A match for the away squad. Inter Milan recently advanced to the Champions League final, but they still have some work to do in their domestic league if they are going to win the Serie A title for the 5th year in a row.
Inter Milan leads AS Roma by only 2 points in Serie A and there have been suggestions that Lazio may take it easy in this match. Lazio is in Rome along with AS Roma and they really do not want to do anything that will help their derby rivals. However, even though it is likely Lazio is safe from being relegated it is not a lock so they need every point they can get.
AS Roma plays at Parma, who is in the 10th position in the Serie A table, on Saturday, so if they win they will be in first place when Inter and Lazio kick off. However, if they lose or draw Inter can really take a strangle hold on the league title by beating Lazio.
There are only 3 matches left in the Serie A season and Inter Milan is aiming high not only for the league title, but the Coppa Italia title, they are in the finals, and the coveted Champions League title.
This season in Serie A Lazio has scored 34 goals and given up 39 and Inter Milan has scored 68 goals and given up 31.
This game will be played in Rome, but Lazio has not won at home in their last 2 matches, but have won their last 2 away matches.
Lazio Recent Form
4/25/2010 Genoa 1 Lazio 2 (Serie A)
4/18/2010 Lazio 1 AS Roma 2 (Serie A)
4/11/2010 Bologna 2 Lazio 3 (Serie A)
4/3/2010 Napoli 1 Lazio 1 (Serie A)
3/28/2010 AC Milan 1 Lazio 1 (Serie A)
Inter Milan Recent Form
4/28/2010 Barcelona 1 Inter Milan 0 (Champions League)
4/24/2010 Inter Milan 3 Atalanta 1 (Serie A)
4/20/2010 Inter Milan 3 Barcelona 1 (Champions League)
4/16/2010 Inter Milan 2 Juventus 0 (Serie A)
4/13/2010 Fiorentina 0 Inter Milan 1 (Coppa Italia)
Lazio has many injuries, as Guglielmo Stendardo, Manfredini, Matuzalem, Albano Benjamin Bizzarri are all out. Pasquale Foggia, Roberto Baronio, Tommaso Rocchi, Sergio Floccari, Julio Ricardo Cruz, Mauro Zarate, and Simone Del Nero are all banged up as well, but will be on the active roster for the match. Cristian Ledesma is suspended for this match and will not play.
Inter will be without the services of Davide Santon, Francesco Toldo, Goran Pandev, as all are injured and will not play. Wesley Sneijder is still nursing a sore hamstring, but will likely start in this match. The big guns for Inter are all match fit so they will be at full strength and tough to beat.
Lazio has an Over/Under 2.5 goal record of 4-6 in their last 10 matches while Inter has a record of 6-4.
In this season’s first encounter between these 2 squads at the end of last year Inter Milan beat Lazio 1-0.
Lazio only has 2 clean sheets in their last 10 matches while Inter Milan has 5.
The striker core of Lazio is banged up and they really need Floccari to play, as they will need his offense. Inter only lost to Barcelona and their awesome offense 1-0 and that was with a man down due to a red card, so I do not see Inter giving up any goals in this match.
Wesley Sneijder has been playing great as of late in the midfield and that is where Inter shines. The Inter midfield will thwart any Lazio counter attack and they will also set up the offense one more than one goal.
Inter is coming off a high, but they will not take Lazio for granted since winning the Serie A title is still a top priority for them. Their confidence is peaking, which is not good for a struggling Lazio squad that has many injury issues.
Jason’s Pick: Inter Milan is simply too good of a team to let three points slip through their fingers against Lazio. The game is in Rome, but Inter will take advantage of a weaker team and win this match. I think Inter will win by a score of 2-0 or 3-0, as they inch closer to their 5th straight Scudetto.
