Preview: Lazio vs. Genoa - prediction, team news, lineups

Conceding two late goals in Lecce saw the Biancocelesti suffer a shock defeat last time out, while this week's visitors were well beaten by Fiorentina on their return to the top flight.

Match preview

Leaving head coach Maurizio Sarri completely aghast, Lazio leaked two goals in the final few minutes of their first-day defeat to Lecce, as they left Puglia empty-handed following an unexpected 2-1 defeat.

The 2023-24 campaign had started well enough when Ciro Immobile put the capital club ahead midway through the first half at Stadio Via del Mare, but their subsequent defensive collapse heaps more pressure on Sunday evening's game at the Olimpico.

Ahead of their season debut on home soil, Lazio have seen former France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris turn down a switch to Rome, but Sarri will hope summer signings Daichi Kamada and Gustav Isaksen can make some impact in the aftermath of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's departure for Saudi Arabia.

The Serbian midfielder was instrumental last term, as the Biancocelesti secured a return to the Champions League group stage by finishing runners-up in Serie A, while recording the club's second-best points tally in a top-flight campaign and keeping 21 clean sheets in the process.

With several rivals having strengthened, Sarri and co now have to do it all over again, and they will expect to get off the mark with a win this weekend: Lazio are unbeaten in their last 37 home games against newly promoted opponents, winning on no less than 29 occasions.

Furthermore, they have lost just twice in their last 14 league matches against Genoa, winning each of the last three before the Grifone's relegation in 2022.

Alberto Gilardino's Genoa side strode straight back into the top flight by finishing well clear in second place at the end of last season's Serie B campaign.

However, their return to Serie A saw them swatted aside by Fiorentina last week, when they suffered a 4-1 reverse at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, with Davide Biraschi producing the Ligurians' consolation goal from one of just two shots on target.

The Grifone had already conceded four times inside the first hour of their comeback campaign, and after making such a sluggish start on home soil they now head to the Italian capital in search of a rare upset.

Having lost six of their last seven league meetings with Lazio in Rome, conceding an average of three goals per game, Genoa are certainly up against precedent when they travel south for their first away fixture.

Acquiring Italy international Mateo Retegui and Milan winger Junior Messias during the summer gives Gilardino's men some hope of survival come next spring, but they could be in for a season of struggle.

Lazio Serie A form:

Genoa Serie A form:

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Genoa form (all competitions):

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Team News

Despite defeat on the opening day, Lazio's lineup should be very similar for their first run-out at Stadio Olimpico this season, with captain Ciro Immobile - who has netted 14 goals against Genoa in the past - leading the line in a 4-3-3 formation.

Immobile has now scored in his first Serie A match for each of the last six seasons, and he should be joined by Felipe Anderson as part of an attacking trident also featuring Mattia Zaccagni.

Brazilian midfielder Marcos Antonio will be the only man missing through injury, as Matias Vecino and Daichi Kamada vie for a place in the hosts' central trio.

In addition to long-term absentee Marko Pajac, Genoa will travel without Junior Messias and Filippo Melegoni due to muscular injuries.

Alberto Gilardino could make some changes in response to a dismal start to the season, with Johan Vasquez and Kevin Strootman among several players seeking promotion to the visitors' starting XI. The latter is now available following suspension.

Meanwhile, Morten Thorsby and Matteo Retegui made their league debuts for the Grifone last Saturday, and both are set to feature again; recent loan signing Ruslan Malinovskyi could make an appearance from the bench.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic; Kamada, Cataldi, Alberto; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Biraschi, Vasquez, Dragusin; Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby, Strootman, Martin; Gudmundsson, Retegui

We say: Lazio 2-1 Genoa

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