A struggling Lazio side welcome Torino to the Italian capital for a Serie A clash on Wednesday night.

Holding Lazio's rivals Roma to a draw on Sunday night means Torino enter the set of fixtures this midweek four points ahead of their upcoming hosts.

Match preview

After five games, Lazio have made the joint-worst start to a campaign in three decades - taking just four points so far.

The main source of frustration for Maurizio Sarri will be that his side have failed to beat numerous opponents which they should have on paper.

An opening day defeat at Lecce set them on a rut which they are finding it difficult to get out of, as they have since followed that up with a loss at home to Genoa and a 1-1 draw with Monza, also at the Stadio Olimpico.

Remarkably, Lazio's only win this season remains away to champions Napoli, but that result was usurped by the drama which surrounded their draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Goalkeeper Ivan Provedel had a more uneventful time of things when Monza visited the Olimpico over the weekend, but it was he who made headlines around the world with his point-salvaging header in the final moments of the clash with Atletico.

Despite those highs, though, Lazio start the gameweek down in 15th, a far cry from the side who won three in a row to finish last season and seal Champions League qualification.

It has been 19 years since Lazio have failed to win any of their first three league home games in a season.

Their recent record against Torino suggests that unwanted record could be matched, as the Biancocelesti have failed to beat them in their previous five meetings.

It does not get any easier after this either, as Sarri's men then face AC Milan away and Sassuolo here at the Olimpico either side of a trip to Celtic in Europe.

While Lazio's poor start drags on, Torino have picked up the pace after a slightly sluggish start.

One point from their opening two games was slightly underwhelming given an opening day draw with newly-promoted Cagliari.

However, Ivan Juric now finds his side up in the top half, just two points off the top four.

That comes after a start which has now seen the Granata take eight points, with AC Milan still the only side to beat them so far.

Genoa and Salernitana were both comfortably beaten to nil, and a late Duvan Zapata equaliser at the weekend saw them hold Roma to a 1-1 draw.

Nemanja Radonjic has been their man for important goals though, netting the winner against Genoa, before scoring a brace at Salernitana.

Team News

Sarri has a fully fit Lazio squad to choose from here, but after another disappointing result at the weekend, the manager may tweak things slightly.

Elseid Hysaj may be replaced by Luca Pellegrini, while Gustav Isaksen's place in the side may be under threat by Felipe Anderson.

Captain Ciro Immobile has seven career goals against the side for whom he made his first big breakout in top-flight football, back in 2013-14.

Torino boss Juric will remain without Kosovan wing-back Mergim Vojvoda, who has a muscular problem, while Koffi Djidji is out with a hernia.

Mihai Popa's nasty skull fracture also means that he will continue on the sidelines.

Zapata got his first goal for Torino at the weekend and should lead the line as the focal point through the centre.

Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Patric, Pellegrini; Kamada, Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni

Torino possible starting lineup:
V Milinkovic-Savic; Schuurs, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Ilic, Ricci, Lazaro; Vlasic, Zapata, Radonjic

We say: Lazio 1-1 Torino

Victory over Salernitana recently saw Torino extend a very impressive sequence of away results where they have won six of their last eight on the road.

However, manager Juric has only won two of his last 12 against Lazio, and despite the hosts' poor recent form, Lazio are still likely to get a result.


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