Serie A Week 23 – 5 Feb 2017 (14.00 UK)
Pescara – Lazio
Stadio Adriatico


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Fresh off the win that eliminated on-form Inter from the Coppa Italia, Lazio host a Pescara side in deep depression.

The Aquile needed that boost, as they suffered a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Chievo, having dominated the match. For the first time since February 2016, Lazio have failed to score in back-to-back Serie A fixtures. It’s time for Ciro Immobile to break that drought against the club that first made him famous and bet on his aerial threat. Lazio have scored the most headed goals in this Serie A season (nine), while Pescara have conceded more headed goals than any other side (eight).

Lazio’s quiet transfer market has not affected the spirit of the team and with two upcoming derbies against Roma (Coppa Italia and Serie A), the spirit of the team will be put to the test.

Coming off their midweek loss to Fiorentina, a Week 19 fixture snowed off on January 8, Pescara have now lost four games in a row and managed only one point from their last five games. Massimo Oddo noted the defeat to the Viola was the most heart-breaking of all, because they had been leading for so long and were beaten by a last-gasp goal.

Pescara haven’t beaten Lazio in Serie A since March 1980, earning two draws followed by five consecutive losses. Furthermore, Pescara have failed to score in their last three league matches against Lazio – the last goal was netted by Massimiliano Allegri in April 1993.

The Delfini have been trailing for more minutes than any other side in Serie A this season and leading for the fewest minutes. Their only victory of the campaign was handed to them by the disciplinary commission. When Lazio are on form, they have a knack of always scoring the first goal of the game.

As usual, Inter-owned Gianluca Caprari will be asked to shoulder the scoring load. With only five goals in Serie A this season, Caprari needs help and that needs to come from Valerio Verre and Jean-Christophe Bahebeck.

Keep an eye on: Ciro Immobile (Lazio) – The forward first shot to fame wearing the Pescara jersey, where he played alongside Marco Verratti and Lorenzo Insigne in their promotion-winning Serie B campaign under Coach Zdenek Zeman.


Form Guide: Lazio (L W W L L) Pescara (D L L L L)

Last season: Not played

Stat fact: Pescara have lost their last five meetings with Lazio, home and away, scoring three goals and conceding 13.

Top tip: Lazio have lost three times in the last five Serie A match-days, as many as in their previous 17 fixtures.

Pescara (probable): Bizzarri; Crescenzi, Stendardo, Coda, Biraghi; Zampano, Memushaj, Brugman, Verre; Caprari

Suspended: None

Lazio (probable): Strakosha; Basta, De Vrij, Hoedt, Radu; Parolo, Biglia, Milinkovic-Savic; Felipe Anderson, Immobile, Lulic

Suspended: None

Prediction Lazio win 3-1