Lazio vs Feyenoord: Preview and Prediction
Lazio and Feyenoord will cross paths on the first matchday of the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League season. The match will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Thursday.
Lazio has won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Super Cup previously, but this particular trophy has remained elusive. In the last edition of the Europa League, they made it to the knockout round play-offs after finishing second in their group but then ended up losing against Porto.
Feyenoord, on the other hand, has won this competition twice previously. The first victory came in 1974 when they defeated English side Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 across two legs. Their last Europa League triumph was in 2022, where they defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the final.
In the last season, the Eredivisie outfit was a part of the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they made it all the way to the final before eventually losing out against Roma.
Current Form
Lazio has not had the start they would have desired in the 2022/23 season. Maurizio Sarri’s team has had issues with their consistency, as they have won only two of their five Serie A matches so far, losing one and drawing two of the other three matches.
Their season kicked off with a 2-1 win over Bologna, but I Biancocelesti was then held to a goalless draw by Torino. Lazio did well to beat Inter Milan 3-1 in their third match, but could only secure a draw against Sampdoria. In their last match, they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Napoli.
On the contrary, Feyenoord has played a pretty impressive brand of football so far in the 2022/23 Eredivisie. With four wins and a draw from their first five matches, De Stadionclub is occupying the second position in the table.
Arne Slot’s men defeated Vitesse Arnhem 5-2 in their first match, before being restricted to a 0-0 stalemate by Heerenveen. However, they have not had to look back ever since, as they have beaten RKC Waalwijk, Emmen and Go Ahead Eagles quite convincingly in their last three matches.
Head to Head Record
Lazio and Feyenoord have met twice previously, in the 1999/00 edition of the UEFA Champions League. The first game took place at Lazio’s home ground, but Feyenoord stunned the Serie A side to emerge as 2-1 winners.
Jon Dahl Tomasson scored both goals for De Stadionclub, while for Lazio, the solitary goal was netted by Juan Sebastian Veron. The second leg, however, was not as exciting as it produced a drab 0-0 draw.
Team News
Danilo Pereira da Silva has already scored five goals in the 2022/23 season
Maurizio Sarri will have the luxury of selecting his starting XI from a fully fit squad. The Italian tactician is expected to stick to his preferred 4-3-3 formation. In goal, Sarri could try out new signing Luis Maximiano by benching the usual first-choice keeper, Ivan Provedel.
Manuel Lazzari, Patric, Alessio Romagnoli, and Adam Marusic are likely to form the four-man backline, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Matias Vecino, and Luis Alberto stationed in midfield. The onus of scoring goals will predominantly be on Pedro, Ciro Immobile, and Mattia Zaccagni.
The slot will not be as fortunate as Sarri’s, as he will miss two of his players. Norwegian defender Marcus Holmgren Pedersen is out with a knee injury, whilst Argentine forward Ezequiel Bullaude is also expected to be unavailable for this clash.
The slot is also expected to field his team in a 4-3-3 formation. Jacob Rasmussen, Gernot Trauner, David Hancko, and Fredrik Andre Bjorkan are likely to comprise the backline, with Justin Biljow in goal. Quinten Timber, Sebastian Szymanski, and Orkun Kokcu could form the midfield trio, with Patrik Walemark, Danilo Pereira da Silva, and Javairo Dilrosun in the attack.
Predicted Playing XIs
Lazio: Luis Maximiano; Manuel Lazzarri, Patric, Alessio Romagnoli, Adam Marusic; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Matias Vecino, Luis Alberto; Pedro, Ciro Immobile, Mattia Zaccagni.
Feyenoord: Justin Bijlow; Jacob Rasmussen, Gernot Trauner, David Hancko, Frederik Andre Bjorkan; Quinten Timber, Sebastian Szymanski, Orkun Kokcu; Patrik Walemark, Danilo Pereira da Silva, Javairo Dilrosun.
Prediction
Though Feyenoord has the edge in terms of momentum, Lazio will have the upper hand if we consider the quality of the two sides on paper. Besides that, a packed Stadio Olimpico will also work against the Dutch visitors. Hence, we have predicted Sarri’s men to secure all three points in this match.
