Prediction: Lazio vs Hellas Verona

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 12/19

Bookmaker: BetUS

Following an inconsistent start to the season, Lazio will aim for their second home win in Serie A when they face Hellas Verona on Monday.

The two sides will meet at Stadio Olimpico, with the hosts unexpectedly sitting behind their visitors in the standings after a spirited draw against AC Milan just before the international break.

Lazio

After an opening-day win over newly promoted Venezia, Lazio were unable to follow up with another victory, falling short against Udinese a week later. In their most recent match at the Olimpico, they were close to securing three points having overturned the Rossoneri’s early lead through Taty Castellanos and Boulaye Dia, but Rafael Leao netted the second equalizer of the game in the 72nd minute to set the final score at 2-2.

Despite the disappointment, Lazio are now unbeaten in their last seven home Serie A games, their longest such streak since the end of 2021 under Simone Inzaghi, when they went on a 19-game run, winning 17 of those. While their current squad may not reach those heights, new boss Marco Baroni has temporarily silenced his critics after being a controversial summer appointment.

Before embarking on his first European campaign with Lazio – with Dynamo Kiev as their first Europa League opponents later this month – Baroni faces a challenge against his former club, followed by a tough trip to Fiorentina in his hometown of Florence.

Baroni, who led Verona to safety last season, lost all three of his previous Serie A encounters with the Lazio, with his side failing to score in each.

Now, having switched his allegiance, he will actually be pleased that Lazio found the net in all but one of their last 21 league matches against Verona, averaging 2.2 goals per game during that stretch.

Team News

With Mario Gila set to return from a thigh injury and possibly start in central defence, Lazio face no major injury concerns after the international break.

In midfield, Matteo Guendouzi is expected to take charge, while Taty Castellanos will likely pair up with captain Mattia Zaccagni in attack. Another former Verona player, Tijjani Noslin, will compete with Boulaye Dia for a spot alongside them.

Nuno Tavares, who was plagued by injuries last season, provided both assists against Milan. After receiving high praise from Baroni, he is likely to retain his place at left-back.

Hellas Verona

Given Verona’s difficulty in keeping clean sheets against Lazio, it’s unsurprising that they’ve won just one of their last 16 away matches against the Biancocelesti in Serie A, losing 11 of those encounters.

The last time the two teams met, back in April, Lazio claimed a victory at Stadio Olimpico, with Mattia Zaccagni netting the winner against his former club in the 72nd minute.

However, Verona may carry renewed optimism under Paolo Zanetti, having enjoyed a promising start to the season with two wins from their opening three matches before the international break.

After stunning Napoli with a 3-0 win on the opening day, they suffered a defeat by the same scoreline against Juventus, but bounced back by scoring twice in the second half to secure a victory over Genoa in their most recent outing.

Including the tail end of last season under Baroni, Verona have now won five of their last nine league games, and they are on the verge of winning their first two Serie A away games in a season for the first time in the club’s history.

Team News

With only Suat Serdar and Juan Manuel Cruz unavailable, Verona coach Zanetti is likely to stick with the same starting XI that faced Genoa in early September.

As a result, Casper Tengstedt is expected to get the nod ahead of Daniel Mosquera in attack, with Darko Lazovic supporting the Danish forward from the left wing. The experienced Serbian international has already provided two assists this season and has set up four goals against Lazio during his Serie A career.

Conclusion

Here’s the rephrased version of your text:

Though Verona have surpassed expectations this season, Lazio are likely to defeat the Scaligeri on Monday evening.

With the hosts averaging two goals per game after revamping their attack over the summer, they are well-positioned to secure all three points on home soil, though a goal at the other end of the pitch wouldn’t come as a surprise either.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 12/19

Bookmaker: BetUS