Lazio travel to cellar-dwellers Cesena at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi on Sunday afternoon, knowing a win will maintain their charge to a top three Serie A finish.
The hosts have experienced a dreadful campaign and come into the match as the undoubted underdog claiming just two wins all season, incidentally both against Parma.
Last week’s 2-1 win over the Gialloblu was their first since the opening day of the season, ending their winless streak of 19 matches and moving to 12 points in the Serie A standings, but remain in 19th place.
In contrast, Lazio continue to impress after overcoming a slow start to their campaign where they registered one victory in the first four founds. However, that seems like a distant memory as the Biancocelesti have surged into fourth position on 34 points amassing four wins in their previous seven league games.
A fully deserved second-half 3-1 comeback over strugglers AC Milan last outing only enhanced Stefano Pioli’s side as a genuine top three contender.
The visitors have unsurprisingly dominated this fixture recording four victories to Cesena’s one since 2010 in their past five encounters.
During the corresponding meeting of this season Lazio secured a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Cavallucci Marini on matchday two. Goals from Antonio Candreva, Marco Parolo and Stefano Mauri guided the Stadio Olimpico outfit to its first triumph of the season.
For the match Domenico Di Carlo may not have the luxury of fielding the same winning team that defeated Parma the previous week. Forward Gregoire Defrel is an uncertainty with his fitness being evaluated in the upcoming days, while Luigi Giorgi could drop the bench for Giuseppe De Feudis in a tactical ploy for the hosts.
As for Lazio they will have to recover quickly from their midweek Coppa Italia clash against AC Milan which could see Stefano Pioli rotate his squad. The Biancocelesti boss will, however, be without a number of regulars decimated through injury and suspension.
Stefan Radu and Lucas Biglia are serving one-match bans for accruing five yellow cards and are expected to be replaced by Luis Pedro Cavanda and Cristian Ledesma respectively.
In more concerning news, striker Filip Dordevic will face a four-month spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken ankle against the Rossoneri in last Sunday’s Serie A match. In-form Brazilian prodigy Felipe Anderson continues to be absent with a knee compliant, while Senad Lulic and Edson Braafheid are also injured.
Form Guide: Cesena (L-D-L-L-L-W) Lazio (W-D-W-D-L-W)
Expected Staring XIs
Cesena: Leali; Perico, Volta, Capelli, Renzetti; Cascione, De Feudis, Pulzetti, Brienza; Rodriguez, Djuric
Lazio: Marchetti; Basta, De Vrij, Cana, Cavanda; Ledesma, Parolo, Cataldi; Mauri, Klose, Candreva
