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

Seeking a fourth straight win on Saturday evening, Lazio will aim to pick up where they left off before the international break, as they welcome Parma to Stadio Olimpico.

While the Rome club ended March on a high, their Emilian counterparts suffered back-to-back defeats, harming any hopes of a top-half finish in Serie A.

Match preview

After beating Sassuolo and Scudetto contenders AC Milan in consecutive home matches, Lazio signed off for the international break with an impressive 2-0 away win over Bologna.

Mired in crisis at the start of last month, the Biancocelesti were boosted by fans finally halting a boycott for their victory over Milan, and they carried that momentum up to Stadio Dall’Ara.

Clearly the club’s best signing of the winter transfer window, Kenneth Taylor bagged a late brace to see off Bologna, who Lazio leapfrogged into eighth place as a result.

While reaching Europe via Serie A remains unlikely - Maurizio Sarri’s men trail sixth-placed rivals Roma by 11 points - they will soon play the second leg of a Coppa Italia semi-final against Atalanta, with the first game having ended all square.

After consecutive shut-outs against Milan and Bologna, only title favourites Inter Milan have kept more clean sheets; a tally of 14 is Lazio’s second-best at this stage of any campaign in the 21st century.

Now, they will try to post another while recording four consecutive league wins for the first time since 2024 - and recent results against Parma suggest they have every chance of doing so.

Including a 1-0 victory in December’s reverse fixture, the capital club have won 11 - and lost just one - of the last 15 Serie A meetings.

© Imago / Gribaudi

Indeed, Parma have lost eight of the last nine contests in Rome, with sole exception being an eventful draw towards the end of last season - on that occasion, they led by two until the 79th minute but failed to hang on.

So, their last league win over Lazio at the Olimpico still dates back to September 2009, meaning both history and recent form will not be on the visitors’ side.

Before international football intervened, Carlos Cuesta’s team lost to two of Serie A’s biggest strugglers this calendar year, following a 4-1 defeat to Torino with a humbling 2-0 home loss against Cremonese.

Nonetheless, Parma are still on track to stay up and they have yet to suffer three straight defeats in the league this season - Cuesta’s first as a head coach at senior level.

His side have gained 20 points from 15 away games so far, and only seven clubs have posted more wins on the road - even if they have also scored a league-low 10 away goals.

Sitting seven points above the relegation zone with eight rounds remaining, another success on Saturday could prove enough to secure Parma’s main objective - avoiding the drop - but their next hosts are suddenly full of belief.

Lazio Serie A form:

L D L W W W

Lazio form (all competitions):

D L D W W W

Parma Serie A form:

W W D D L L

Team News

© Imago

Lazio are still missing first-choice goalkeeper Ivan Provedel - so young Edoardo Motta must continue to deputise - while captain Mattia Zaccagni remains on the sidelines with a thigh injury.

Long-term absentee Samuel Gigot and playmaker Nicolo Rovella are also unavailable; Spanish centre-back Patric may fill in again for Rovella, but Danilo Cataldi is now fit and could start in midfield.

Meanwhile, Toma Basic and Mario Gila must undergo further tests as they try to fully recover from muscular problems.

Daniel Maldini is generally preferred to Peter Ratkov and Boulaye Dia up front, while Parma’s attack should be led by top scorer Mateo Pellegrino - five of his eight Serie A goals this term have arrived on the road.

Though Enrico Delprato can return from suspension, his fellow defender Mariano Troilo must serve a one-match ban this weekend.

Matija Frigan and Benjamin Cremaschi are both sidelined, and influential midfielder Adrian Bernabe is a doubt; without the latter, Parma’s points average drops by 0.5 (in league games since the start of last season).

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Motta; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Patric, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro

Parma possible starting lineup:

Suzuki; Delprato, Circati, Valenti; Britschgi, Sorensen, Keita, Valeri; Strefezza, Ondrejka; Pellegrino

We say: Lazio 2-1 Parma

Although Parma have proven tricky visitors this season, they seem to be coasting towards the finish line, with relegation looking very unlikely.

Meanwhile, Lazio have been busy building some momentum, so they should continue their long reign of dominance in this fixture.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.