The Stadio Olimpico will host one of the most important Derby della Capitales in recent memory on Monday evening.

Just one point separates Roma in second from rivals Lazio in third and with Napoli breathing down their necks as far as Champions League football next term is concerned, it's a game that neither side can afford to lose.

Lazio

Unlike many of European football's other major nations, just three Italian clubs will qualify for next season's Champions League.

For Lazio, their fate is in their own hands. A win over bitter rivals Roma on Monday will all but secure their spot in Europe's top club competition, with Rafael Benitez's Napoli, who are currently three points worse off, to come on the final day of the season next weekend.

Just as there was in the recent Manchester United vs. Arsenal clash in the Premier League, there is plenty riding on this contest, despite both sides being strong favourites to qualify.

The side that finishes second in Serie A behind champions Juventus will automatically be included in the group stages, while the team in third will have to settle for a place in the third qualifying round, which could potentially throw up a tricky tie.

It will be the job of head coach Stefano Pioli to lift his players following the Coppa Italia final extra-time defeat at the hands of Juve, who won through thanks to a strike from Alessandro Matri.

His players must be able to take some confidence from their recent Serie A form, though, having lost just two of their previous 16 outings.

Recent form: WLDWDL

Roma

Once a genuine contender to Juve in the Serie A title race, Rudi Garcia's Roma fell away after the turn of the year.

Their form has been patchy to say the least in 2015, perhaps suffering a hangover from the disappointment of losing out on a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League at the hands of Manchester City.

Having said that, results have picked up of late, with the Romans losing just one of their previous eight Serie A outings.

A win for Roma would secure their spot in the Champions League, while a draw would also go a long way to ending any lingering fears that they might miss out.

Of course, with Napoli, who are four points adrift, travelling to the champions this weekend, they may not need to win this game at all.

Nevertheless, they will certainly fancy their chances of coming through either way, particularly with 10th-placed Palermo to come at the Stadio Olimpico on the final day of the season.

Recent form: DDWWLW

Team News

The big news for Lazio is that Dutch defender Stefan De Vrij is available, having come through the Coppa Italia final unscathed.

The summer signing had not been expected to return again this season from the muscular injury that had kept him sidelined for a number of weeks.

However, there is not such good news where Lucas Biglia, Lorik Cana, Ederson and Pereirinha are concerned, with the quartet being ruled out, while defender Stefan Radu is a doubt.

As for Roma, Kevin Strootman, Maicon, Gervinho and Leandro Castan are long-term absentees, but veterans Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi are both expected to feature in the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, Seydou Doumbia, who recently scored his first two goals for the club since his winter arrival from CSKA Moscow, is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench.

Lazio possible starting lineup:
Marchetti; Basta, De Vrij, Gentiletti, Lulic; Cataldi, Parolo; Candreva, Mauri, Felipe Anderson; Klose

Roma possible starting lineup: De Sanctis; Florenzi, Manolas, Astori, Torosidis; Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Ibarbo, Totti, Ljajic

Head To Head

In recent years, Roma may have been a more successful side than their neighbours, but it is Lazio that have had the better of this encounter.

They have been beaten just once in the last eight meetings, winning on four occasions.

When they met earlier in the campaign, Lazio opened up a two-goal lead, but a brace from Totti rescued a 2-2 draw for Roma.

Overall the head to head record belongs to Roma with a lead of 64-48.

No player has scored more goals in this fixture than Roma legend Totti, who has a chance to add to his haul of 11 on Monday.

We say: Lazio 1-1 Roma

With a win vitally important, this could well be a cagey affair. Both sides are unlikely to give much away and so there could be very little to split them.