Lazio returned to winning ways last weekend and cemented the fourth place in the standings as they beat Brescia, with the Biancocelesti now expected to have an easy job against the weakest side in the league. Bari ended the six-match losing run as they held Genoa to a goalless draw, but they still face a mountain to climb at Olimpico.

Lazio back to their best

Lazio boss Edy Reja has spent last few weeks virtually begging fans and media not to expect too much of this squad after some impressive performances this term, but his statements were not a reflection of his disbelief in this side but rather an attempt to ease the pressure on his players. His tactics worked like a charm as the Biancocelesti returned to winning ways by beating Brescia away and they now have a great chance to make another giant step towards the top 4 finish. The team are playing really well at the moment and besides the very good starting line-up Reja has players like Zarate, Bresciano, Foggia and Floccari on the bench, which definitely gives them the edge over bottom table teams with very small squads, such as Bari. All things considered, the Biancocelesti should have no problems winning this game.

Libor Kozak will keep his place in the side after scoring against Brescia, while Giuseppe Sculli and Mauro Zarate are fighting for another place in attack. Stefan Radu and Modibo Diakite has resumed training after the spell on the sidelines, but they are unlikely to be in contention for the Bari game, just like Simone Del Nero and Tommaso Rocchi.

Tough times for Bari

The team that largely impressed in their first season after returning to Italy’s top flight, mostly thanks to their rock-solid defence are now struggling to stay alive and look destined for the return to Serie B. The club management is partly to blame for this as they disrupted the balance of the squad by selling a couple of key defenders, while the belief Bari chiefs had in Giampiero Ventura didn’t pay off. New boss Bortolo Mutti helped the side end the six-match losing run as they shared spoils with struggling Genoa, but everybody at the club are aware that it is too late to save this season. With the players completely low on confidence, Bari face an uphill task against Lazio, especially after the Biancocelesti beat them 2:0 at San Nicola earlier in the season.

Vitalii Kutuzov and Salvatore Masiello should return to the side, but Paulo Vitor Barreto and Nicola Belmonte are out with injuries.

Verdict

The win over Brescia helped Lazio return to the right track and the Biancocelesti are unlikely to miss a very good chance to cement the fourth place in the standings. Bari, on the other hand, have nothing to hope for at Olimpico, especially after losing 9 out of 12 away games this season. I expect Lazio to win this one with few goals to spare.

Our prediction: Lazio to win with -1 Asian handicap

Odds: 1.73 (8/11)

Bookmaker: Victor Chandler