As Lazio prepare to face Fiorentina, manager Simone Inzaghi is contemplating several changes to his starting eleven. Ivan Provedel is expected to return between the posts, taking over from cup goalkeeper Christos Mandas.
The Biancocelesti’s defense will be bolstered by the return of Samuel Gigot and Luca Pellegrini from suspension. Pellegrini may be called upon to fill the left-back position if Nuno Tavares fails to recover from a knee injury in time for the match.
Lazio continues to grapple with injury concerns, as Manuel Lazzari, Patric, and Matias Vecino remain sidelined due to muscular issues. However, fans may catch a glimpse of new signing Arijon Ibrahimovic, who is likely to be named among the substitutes.
In attack, the partnership of Taty Castellanos and Boulaye Dia is expected to continue. Dia, who has found the net in his last two league appearances and previously scored a hat-trick against Fiorentina, will be looking to maintain his impressive form.
For Fiorentina, Moise Kean spearheads the attack. The striker is on the verge of a personal milestone, needing just one more goal to equal his best-ever league tally of 13, which he achieved with Paris Saint-Germain in the 2020-21 season. Notably, nine of Kean’s twelve Serie A goals this season have come in the first half of matches.
La Viola’s midfield options may be limited, with Andrea Colpani nursing an ankle injury and Danilo Cataldi dealing with a thigh problem. Should Cataldi be unavailable, Raffaele Palladino will choose between Amir Richardson, Rolando Mandragora, and recent arrival Michael Folorunsho to partner Yacine Adli in the center of the park. Interestingly, Folorunsho, a boyhood Lazio fan, could find himself facing his childhood club.
In defensive news, Italy Under-21 right-back Michael Kayode has recently joined Brentford on loan. However, this departure is unlikely to affect Fiorentina’s starting lineup, as Dodo remains Palladino’s preferred choice in that position.
Lazio (4-2-3-1): Provedel; Hysaj, Gigot, Gila, Pellegrini; Rovella, Guendouzi; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Mandragora; Colpani, Gudmundsson, Folorunsho; Kean
