Preview: Lazio vs Cremonese - prediction, team news, lineups

After pulling off an incredible away win last week, Lazio return to Rome on Saturday, when Cremonese will pay a visit to Stadio Olimpico.

Separated by two points, with the hosts just ahead, both clubs are set for their final Serie A fixture before Christmas.

Match preview

Against all the odds, Lazio claimed victory at Parma’s Stadio Tardini last week, despite being reduced to nine men when captain Mattia Zaccagni and midfielder Toma Basic were both sent off.

Defying their numerical disadvantage, the Biancocelesti still managed to find a late winner through substitute striker Tijjani Noslin, before celebrating a truly remarkable success.

Having previously eliminated AC Milan from the Coppa Italia and held high-flying Bologna to a 1-1 draw, Maurizio Sarri’s men have made a fine start to December, and they now occupy eighth place in the Serie A standings.

Goalkeeper Ivan Provedel has kept a league-high eight clean sheets this season - his best tally at this stage since posting 11 in 2022-23, during Sarri’s first spell - and Lazio are becoming renowned for their resilience.

Such strength is often evident on home turf, where the capital club have lost just one of eight matches while winning five times - most recently against Milan in the cup.

Dating back a few decades, Lazio also boast a dominant home record against this week’s visitors, with seven wins and one draw from previous meetings in Rome.

Cremonese rarely enjoy their trips to the capital, having never kept a clean sheet in 12 top-flight visits to Stadio Olimpico - versus either Lazio or Roma.

Furthermore, they have lost 10 times and only won once, with that sole success dating back 32 years.

More recently, the Grigiorossi have made a positive start to their latest Serie A comeback campaign, after gaining promotion through the playoffs last season.

Sitting comfortably in 11th place on 20 points, following wins over the likes of Milan and Bologna, Davide Nicola’s side are firmly on track to stay afloat.

However, after losing just one of their first nine fixtures, Cremonese have lost four of the subsequent six, including last week’s 1-0 defeat to fellow mid-table team Torino.

For once, star strikers Jamie Vardy and Federico Bonazzoli failed to fire as the Lombardy club produced only three shots on target in Turin.

Despite that defeat, Cremo’s away record remains impressive for a promoted club, having earned 11 points on the road so far - but they now face a stern test at the Olimpico.

Lazio Serie A form:

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Lazio form (all competitions):

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Cremonese Serie A form:

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Team News

Already restricted by a transfer embargo and several absentees, Sarri has joked about starting with 10 players on Saturday - particularly in light of Lazio’s nine-man feats last week.

Basic must now serve a two-match ban, while Zaccagni is also suspended this weekend; Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Boulaye Dia are both bound for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Gustav Isaksen, Samuel Gigot and Nicolo Rovella are still sidelined by injury, but Patric and Matteo Cancellieri recently returned to first-team action, and Spanish centre-back Mario Gila is available after missing the trip to Parma through suspension.

While Zaccagni and Cancellieri are Lazio’s joint-top league scorers with three goals apiece, Cremonese’s Bonazzoli has five - one more than Vardy, who was recently voted Serie A’s November Player of the Month in strange circumstances.

The visitors also have a midfielder missing for disciplinary reasons, as Martin Payero has triggered a one-game ban due to accumulated bookings.

Jeremy Sarmiento, Alberto Grassi and Michele Collocolo are still on Cremo’s treatment table, but Matteo Bianchetti and Mikayil Faye are both set to return.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Guendouzi, Cataldi, Vecino; Cancellieri, Castellanos, Noslin

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Barbieri, Zerbin, Bondo, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy