Lazio vs Bayern Munich predictions: Eagles can scare the Bavarians in Rome
- Lazio have lost only one of their last 15 home games
- Lazio have kept clean sheets in ten of their last 13 matches at the Stadio Olimpico
- Recommended bet: Lazio or draw double chance
Bayern dropped only two points on their way to claiming top spot in Group A and the German giants will start strong favourites for their two-legged last-16 tie with Serie A side Lazio, who chased home Atletico Madrid to advance from Group E.
The Bundesliga outfit defeated Paris Saint-Germain at this stage of the Champions League last season and haven’t fallen at this hurdle since losing to eventual winners Liverpool in the 2018-19 campaign.
Lazio, in contrast, are featuring in the round of 16 of Europe’s elite competition for only the second time since 2016, which highlights why the odds are stacked firmly in Bayern’s favour.
However, the Bavarians are not currently operating at their brilliant best and Saturday’s 3-0 thrashing at Bundesliga title rivals Bayer Leverkusen left them five points off of top spot.
Lazio, meanwhile, sit only eighth in the Italian top-flight, although they did pick up seven points from their three home games in Group E, holding Atletico to a 1-1 draw before recording wins to nil over Feyenoord and Celtic.
Team news
Lazio will be monitoring the progress of Patric and Mattia Zaccagni and both are expected to miss out through injury, but Nicolo Rovella is available as his one-match suspension is for domestic games only.
Bayern have a whole host of injuries plaguing the squad, with Alphonso Davies joining Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Konrad Laimer, Daniel Peretz and Bouna Sarr on the sidelines.
Thomas Tuchel could make some tactical tweaks to his side in a bid to respond to Saturday’s 3-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen and new recruit Bryan Zaragoza is available after recovering from illness.
The stats
Lazio have lost only one of their last 15 home games, with them collecting seven points from their three Champions League group-stage assignments.
Both teams have scored in ten of Lazio’s last 13 Champions League home games.
Five of Lazio’s last eight matches in all competitions have gone over 2.5 goals.
Bayern picked up 16 points from a possible 18 in topping Group A and both teams scored in four of their six matches.
In fact, Bayern have conceded in ten of their 15 away games in all competitions this season.
These two teams met the last time Lazio reached the knockout stages of the Champions League and Bayern won home and away, but conceded on both occasions.
Bayern hotshot Harry Kane has 28 goals in 27 appearances this season, with the England international scoring four goals in six Champions League starts.
Prediction
Over the course of two legs, Bayern will be expected to stamp their authority against a Lazio side that sit only eighth in Serie A.
However, it won’t be easy for the Germans, missing some key players, to reign supreme at the Stadio Olimpico, where Lazio are pretty formidable.
Maurizio Sarri’s side have lost only one of their last 15 home games in all competitions and that defeat came against runaway Italian league leaders Inter.
Otherwise, Lazio have been solid on their own patch, highlighted by Champions League successes over Feyenoord and Celtic as well as a 1-1 draw with Atletico, where they won the shot count 19 to nine.
Lazio have kept clean sheets in ten of their last 13 home games and, while keeping Bayern at bay may prove tricky, it shows their defensive organisation.
Bayern were comfortably beaten 3-0 away at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and, only four days on, it may be tough for them to justify odds-on favouritism in Rome.
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