Cagliari vs Lazio

May 18, 2013
By: Nemanja Lazarevic

Cagliari may not have much to play for at the moment, but with a top 10 berth up for grabs, Isolani are unlikely to roll over for Lazio. The Biancocelesti need a victory at Stadio Nereo Rocco and a favour from Inter if they are to pip Udinese to the final Europa League berth, and they will at least attempt to keep their part of the bargain.

Credible draw in Turin

Cagliari had a shocking start to the league campaign and they largely struggled to escape the danger zone, but things began to improve since the 2-1 defeat to Lazio in the first game in the New Year. Isolani went on to pick up 15 points from next seven league fixtures, thus virtually securing Serie A survival. They continued with impressive performances and looked set for a top table finish, only to experience a major dip in form over the last month or so. As a result, they picked up just 2 out of possible 15 points, meaning they go into the Lazio clash low on confidence. They did manage to prevent new champions Juventus from winning in Turin, but they were extremely fortunate to do so. Cagliari now face very motivated Biancocelesti and even if they will not be looking to do their opponents any favours, the lack of motivation could prove to be a major issue on Sunday evening. Having lost last two home games to Udinese and Parma, Isolani do need to show a massive improvement if they are to fare any better against their next opponents.

Lorenzo Ariaudo, Gabriele Perico, Nicola Murru, Francesco Pisano and Matias Cabrera are all out through injury.

Two crucial games for Lazio

The outcome of the current season is riding on the final two fixtures, with Lazio first hoping to secure a top 5 finish in Serie A before battling arch rivals Roma for the Coppa Italia trophy. The disappointing run of results appeared to have ended team’s European dream, but impressive victories over Bologna, Inter and Sampdoria ensured they have another chance to make amends. With Udinese still two points clear, not everything is depending on Vladimir Petkovic’s men, but the Biancocelesti are hoping Inter can take at least one point from their home fixture against the Zebrette, in which case a win at Stadio Nereo Rocco would be enough for Lazio to achieve Europa League qualification. As soon as the hectic schedule started to ease up, team’s performances improved considerably, with Lazio recording three comfortable victories in a row for only the second time this season. When we know that the Biancocelesti are used to recording narrow wins, this is enough to suggest they are on top of their game at the moment.

While Cristian Brocchi, Stefano Mauri and Bruno Pereirinha are all out, Mikael Ciani, Stefan Radu, Sergio Floccari, Hernanes and Onazi all face fitness tests.

Verdict

Cagliari seem to be out of form at the moment and with the hosts also lacking in motivation, they will struggle to match in-form Lazio. The Biancocelesti have been scoring goals for fun since Vladimir Petkovic reverted to 4-4-2 formation and they look a good bet to make it four on the bounce.

Top pick: Away win   1.75 (3/4) @ BetVictor

Alternative pick 1: Lazio to score two or more   1.80 (4/5) @ bet365

Alternative pick 2: Both teams to score   1.80 (4/5) @ Stan James

As Seen on TV – World’s Finest Live Casino!

William Hill just rolled out their new high quality live casino room. Every new player at William Hill Live Casino can earn a bonus of £25. Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Sports Roulette & meet SEXY Dealers.

We Highly Recommend These Places
Share your Opinion!