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Laziovs.Juventus

sportsmole.co.uk, 21 April 2024, 08:06
Juventus will enter Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg with Lazio boasting a two-goal advantage from the first leg between the two Italian giants earlier this month.

Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic scored the goals at Allianz Stadium in the first leg of the last-four encounter, putting the Old Lady as the huge favourites to advance to the final of the competition.

Match preview

Lazio have won the Coppa Italia on seven previous occasions, with their last success in the competition coming in 2019, when they recorded a 2-0 victory over Atalanta BC in the final.

The White and Sky Blues face a huge task to make this season's final following their two-goal defeat in the first leg, though, and they have actually now lost their last five Coppa Italia games against Juventus.

Lazio beat the Old Lady 1-0 in Serie A at the end of last month, though, and have been victorious in two of their last three league matches with the Turin giants, including the last two on home soil, which should hand them confidence ahead of what is shaping up to a fascinating clash.

Igor Tudor's side will enter this game off the back of a 1-0 win over Genoa on Friday, with the result leaving them sixth in the Serie A table, three points behind fifth-placed Roma.

Le Aquile, who were runners-up in Italy's top flight last term, were 4-1 winners over Salernitana in their last match on home soil, meanwhile, and that result on Tuesday would secure their spot in the final.

Juventus have drawn their last two matches in Serie A, sharing the points with Torino and Cagliari, and they currently sit third in the table, five points behind second-placed AC Milan.

The Old Lady are nine points ahead of fifth-placed Roma, meanwhile, and are very much on course to secure a return to the Champions League for the 2024-25 campaign.

The Turin giants are bidding to win the Coppa Italia for the 15th time in their history, with 14 victories making them the most successful side in the history of the competition.

Juventus last lifted the trophy in 2020-21, beating Atalanta in the final, while they were runners-up in 2021-22, losing 4-2 to Inter Milan in the final.

The second-half goals from Chiesa and Vlahovic have placed Massimiliano Allegri's side in a strong position to set up a meeting with either Fiorentina or Atalanta in the final.

Juventus have not lost to Lazio in the Coppa Italia since January 2013, meanwhile, keeping clean sheets in each of their last three cup encounters with their Serie A rivals.

Lazio Coppa Italia form:

W

W

L

Lazio form (all competitions):

W

W

L

L

W

W

Juventus Coppa Italia form:

W

W

W

Juventus form (all competitions):

D

L

W

W

D

D

Team News

Lazio will definitely be without the services of three players through injury on Tuesday, including two who started the first leg, with Matteo Guendouzi and Mattia Zaccagni missing due to shin and ankle problems respectively.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ivan Provedel remains unavailable for selection due to a hamstring issue.

There is also a doubt over the availability of Manuel Lazzari, who had to be substituted in the first half of the clash with Genoa last time out; Ciro Immobile was also missing on Friday, and the striker will face a late fitness test to determine whether he can feature here.

Pedro is expected to be introduced in the final third of the field, while Valentin Castellanos will operate as the centre-forward if Immobile misses out.

As for Juventus, Nicolo Fagioli and Paul Pogba are unavailable due to suspensions, while Fabio Miretti and Moise Kean will not feature due to injury problems.

Mattia Perin is the team's Coppa Italia goalkeeper, and he will again start on Tuesday evening, but it will otherwise be a first-choice XI for the Turin giants.

Vlahovic and Chiesa are set to continue as the front two for the Old Lady, while there could be a return in central midfield for Weston McKennie, who started on the bench against Cagliari on Friday.

Bremer is currently being strongly linked with a summer move to Manchester United, but the Brazilian will again operate in the middle of the away side's defence.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Mandas; Marusic, Patric, Romagnoli, Gila; Kamada, Vecino, Alberto; Anderson, Castellanos, Pedro

Juventus possible starting lineup:

Perin; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Vlahovic, Chiesa

We say: Lazio 1-1 Juventus (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate)

Lazio are certainly capable of turning this tie around, but it is a huge ask, and we are finding it difficult to imagine Juventus suffering a comfortable loss in this contest. We are backing a 1-1 draw on the night, which would see the Old Lady advance to the final courtesy of a 3-1 aggregate success.

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