Opposition insight for Lazio-Milan: Form, injuries, predicted XI and more
AC Milan face the trick trip to face Lazio on Saturday night at the Stadio Olimpico, a team that have started the season very well.
Milan lost both games against Lazio in the capital last season, exiting in the Coppa Italia 1-0 to a late Mattia Zaccagni winner, and then being beaten by the same scoreline in the league with Gustav Isaksen the goal scorer.
As if that weren’t enough, the Aquile have begun 2026-27 with three wins out of three in the league, which followed a shock cup exit to Mantova. Since then they have seen off Bologna (0-1), Genoa (1-0) and most recently Udinese (1-2) to go into round four joint-top.
Opposition insight on Lazio
➤ Manager: Gennaro Gattuso ➤ Form (all comps): W-W-W (most recent) ➤ Top scorer (Serie A): Frattesi – 3 ➤ Most assists (Serie A): Doehki, Zaccagni, Tavares, Dia – 1 ➤ Injuries & suspensions: Patric, Marusic, Cataldi, Rovella, Dele-Bashiru (?)
It was a summer of change for Lazio once again, as they made Gennaro Gattuso their head coach following his departure from the Italy set-up. The appointment was met with a mixed reaction, amid an ongoing climate of protest from fans over Claudio Lotito’s ownership.
Then, the constraints placed upon them financially meant that it was always going to be a difficult summer. Boulaye Dia’s move from Salernitana was made permanent and was the only big expense at €11.3m.
Davide Frattesi joined on loan from Inter, Andrea Pinamonti signed from Sassuolo, Josip Sutalo was loaned in from Ajax, while Danilho Doehki and Alfonso Pedraza signed on frees.
Bruno Galassi arrived from Real Madrid’s youth system which they hope will be another Gila-esque coup. Alberto Gudmundsson (loan, Fiorentina) and Diogo Leite were two additions that came a bit later on.
In terms of exits, Gila was the big one as he went to Milan for €30m including bonuses, which is looking more and more like a steal in the current market. Alessio Romagnoli, Ivan Provedel and Gabriele Artistico left for small fees.
When Lazio were dumped out of the Coppa Italia by Serie B side Mantova to officially begin the season on August 16, Biancocelesti fans would be forgiven for thinking that it might be quite a testing campaign for them. And yet, they have roared back since.
Frattesi instantly endeared himself with two winners in the first two rounds against Bologna and Genoa (both 1-0), while he scored the equaliser against Udinese on Monday night before Gudmundsson’s late winner.
It means that the capital club are on nine points out of nine and are therefore joint-top, along with Inter and their city rivals Inter. Despite this, there is talk that there will be twice as many Milanisti as Laziali at the Olimpico, because the boycott shows no signs of stopping.
In terms of selection news, Gattuso will be without defensive duo Patric and Adam Marusic. The midfield pair of Nicolo Rovella and Danilo Cataldi are expected to miss out, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a doubt too.
As mentioned, the signing of Leite on a free transfer (last at Union Berlin, and previously linked with Milan) adds a boost to the defensive department for the Biancocelesti. He is expected to be on the bench.
In their last game, Lazio played Gattuso’s trademark 4-3-3 with Mandas in goal, Doehki and Provstgaard as the centre-backs, Floriani Mussolini and Taveres at full-back, Frattesi-Belahyane-Taylor as the midfield trio, then Isaksen-Pinamonti-Zaccagni as the front three.
Predicted Lazio XI (4-3-3): Mandas; F. Mussolini, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Tavares; Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor; Isaksen, Pinamonti, Zaccagni.
Predicted bench: Motta, Renzetti, Leite, Lazzari, Sutalo, Pedraza, Galassi, Farcomeni, Przyborek, Gudmundsson, Noslin, Cancellieri.
Injuries & suspensions: Patric, Marusic, Cataldi, Rovella, Dele-Bashiru, Pellegrini.
