Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Serie A match.
Despite Italy's top clubs battling for the Super Cup, the league doesn't pause, especially with the main event, the Rome Derby, on the horizon.
AS Roma
Roma have experienced a mixed season. In their last match of the year, they managed to take a point off AC Milan (1:1), but shortly before that, suffered a defeat to relegation-threatened Como (0:2). Claudio Ranieri sticks to his familiar pragmatic style in Rome. Roma score and concede an average of 1.3 goals per match. Ten out of 18 fixtures this season have been low-scoring, with under three goals netted.
Lazio
Lazio, too, have not been prolific in front of goal this season. They may have scored 33 goals, but their xG stands at just 30. Their defence has let in 25, despite an xGA of only 19.7. It’s worth noting they have four attacking players sidelined, who have been significant contributors this season. A standout performance includes Tijjani Noslin's hat-trick against Napoli, making up five of his goals this campaign.
AS Roma vs Lazio Prediction
The Rome Derby is a classic of Italian football, often filled with emotion and passion. Surprisingly, it tends to be a low-scoring affair, with no more than one goal in the last five meetings. We expect this trend to continue, so we're betting on a total under.
