On September 1st at 2:45 AM, the Italian Serie A will see its third round match with Lazio hosting AC Milan at home.
Lazio started the league season by winning 3-1 at home against newly promoted Venezia in the first round, but surprisingly lost 1-2 away to Udinese in the second round, accumulating 3 points from two rounds. The team has exposed many issues in these two games. Against a weak Venezia, they conceded a goal, and against Udinese, who are not particularly strong, they lost three points that should have been theirs. Lazio urgently needs to make adjustments.
Last season, Lazio achieved 18 wins, 7 draws, and 13 losses in 38 league matches, eventually scoring 61 points and qualifying for European competition. This season, the team hopes to improve further and strive for a Champions League spot. In the previous season, the team scored 49 goals and conceded 39, with mediocre performances on both offense and defense. This summer, the team signed players like Gundozi, Nosling, and Jona, upgrading their squad. However, from the start of the season, the team still needs gelling.
In terms of injuries, Pellegrini will be out until mid-September due to a leg injury. New signing Jila is also recovering from a thigh injury and is expected to return in mid-next month.
AC Milan’s performance in the previous two league rounds was poor, only managing 1 draw and 1 loss, failing to secure their first win. In the first round, the team faced Torino at home, equalizing in the 95th minute after trailing by two goals, barely securing one point. In the second round, they lost 1-2 away to Parma. Although the team did not win, they dominated both games, suggesting that their current results may be down to bad luck.
In this summer’s transfer window, AC Milan did not make significant moves, focusing instead on retaining key players from last season. Leao, Theo, and Maignan all stayed with the team, preserving their strength. They defeated Real Madrid and Manchester City in pre-season friendlies and drew with Barcelona. Just as everyone thought AC Milan would soar in the new season, the team suffered a setback, and coach Fonseca faces the threat of dismissal.
In terms of injuries, striker Morata will be out until next month due to muscle problems. Spaditello will not return until October due to ligament issues. The main members of the team are all fit, and they hope to secure their first win to get out of their slump.
In the past five encounters, AC Milan has won four and lost one, holding an advantage. In the last three matches, Milan has beaten Lazio three times and kept clean sheets in all of them. Although Lazio has the home advantage in this game, AC Milan desperately needs a victory, and luck cannot always elude them. Milan stands a good chance of achieving a big win.
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