Preview: Lazio vs. AC Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts, meanwhile, would move one point behind their opponents in Serie A's table by beating them at Stadio Olimpico.

Match preview

Having finished fifth in Mauricio Sarri's first season at the club, Lazio will be hoping to go at least one better this time around and qualify for the Champions League as a result.

Their hopes of achieving that were handed a major boost by Juventus being docked 15 points due to financial irregularities, with I Biancocelesti jumping up to fourth place as a result without them even having to kick a ball in anger last week.

Sarri's side booked a quarter-final tie against Juve next month by beating Bologna 1-0 in the Coppa Italia last time out, with Felipe Anderson's 33rd-minute strike enough to earn his side a marginal victory on Thursday.

The former Napoli boss will be more than aware that he is likely to require a better collective performance from his players if they are to beat Milan on Tuesday, having lost all three of their meetings against the reigning champions last season.

However, Lazio are now clearly at a later stage of their development under their possession-focused manager, while their forthcoming opponents appear to be playing at a slightly lower level than they were throughout last season.

That said, only the relentless form of Napoli and a few frustrating draws are stopping from Milan being firmly in the mix for securing another title once again.

While their hopes of retaining Serie A are far from over yet, Sarri's former side moved 12 points clear of their nearest rivals by beating Salernitana 2-0 at the weekend, which will surely prove an extremely tough deficit to overturn from the half-way stage of the season.

All Stefano Pioli and his players can do is focus on themselves, though, although a winless run of four games in all competitions is hardly likely to inspire confidence ahead of their trip to the capital in midweek.

Indeed, I Rossoneri were recently knocked out of the Coppa Italia at home to Torino before losing 3-0 to their city rivals Inter Milan in Italy's Super Cup last week, with two consecutive 2-2 draws against Roma and Lecce in Serie A seeing them lose further ground on Napoli.

With a double-header against Tottenham Hotspur in the club's first Champions League knockout tie for nine years to look forward to next month, Pioli will have his eyes set on advancing through that while consolidating their place in the top four before looking to hunt down Luciano Spalletti's high-fliers across the coming months.

Lazio Serie A form:

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Lazio form (all competitions):

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AC Milan Serie A form:

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AC Milan form (all competitions):

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Team News

Lazio are expected to remain without their attacking talisman and captain Ciro Immobile due to a thigh injury, while Mario Gila is definitely ruled out with a muscle issue of his own.

Andersen deputised in a false nine role in the absence of Immobile last time out, and the former West Ham United winger will almost certainly do so again after scoring the decisive winner against Bologna.

Milan, meanwhile, will travel without Fode Ballo, Mike Maignan, Alessandro Florenzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who are all unlikely to return for several weeks.

Ante Rebic and Rade Krunic should both be available to be named among the substitutes, though, having returned from minor muscle injuries within the past week.

Pierre Kalulu should return to the heart of the visitors' defence alongside England international Fikayo Tomori, having been rested for Simon Kjaer against Inter last week.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Hysaj, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic; Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Alberto; Pedro, Andersen, Zaccagni

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Tatarusanu; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Hernandez; Tonali, Bennacer; Saelemaekers, Diaz, Leao; Giroud

We say: Lazio 1-2 AC Milan

With both managers intent on controlling possession and playing offensive styles, this should be an entertaining clash between two of Italy's biggest clubs.

However, Immobile's injury could prove pivotal in terms of influencing the result, with Milan always a potent threat in transition on the road. As such, we can envisage an important away win for Pioli's side.

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