Lazio will take on Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday evening in buoyant mood, after a fantastic run of form which has propelled them into Champions League contention.
After losing three of their first four league matches under Stefano Pioli, the club’s worst start to the season for 54 years, the Biancocelesti went on a run of four consecutive victories against Palermo, Sassuolo, Fiorentina and Torino before a draw away to Verona last time out.
The form of Filip Djordjevic and Antonio Candreva, along with the entertaining brand of football Pioli is encouraging from his side, have made the Aquile a team worth watching in recent weeks.
However, the squad continues to be burdened with injury problems as Keita Balde Diao, Dusan Basta and Santiago Gentiletti look set to miss out while Stefano Mauri, Abdoulay Konko, Lorik Cana and Danilo Cataldi are still doubtful.
Their opponents from Sardinia have been enjoying something of a turnaround in form also and will arrive in Rome quietly confident of success.
Zdenek Zeman’s arrival at the club was met with much enthusiasm by the neutral, but fans of Cagliari were less encouraged by the appointment after a disastrous start to the season in which they picked up only one point in four matches.
However, there have been a few signals that the team is adjusting to the gung-ho coach’s philosophy. A 4-1 destruction of Inter at the San Siro was perhaps the most obvious example, but the recent 4-0 hammering they dished out to Empoli was also impressive.
A 1-1 draw with Milan in the previous round has continued their good run of form and now Zeman’s team have not lost since the beginning of October.
Sebastian Eriksson will be the only absentee for the Rossoblu, as he is injured.
Lazio emerged 2-0 winners in both meetings between the sides last season and will be looking to continue their bid for European football with another victory on Monday.
Expected Starting XIs
Lazio: Marchetti; Cavanda, De Vrij, Ciani, Radu; Parolo, Biglia, Lulic; Candreva, Djordjevic, Felipe Anderson
Cagliari: Cragno; Balzano, Rossettini, Ceppitelli, Avelar; Crisetig, Conti, Ekdal; Ibarbo, Sau, Cossu
