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Lazio vs Juventus: 3 key Lazio players to watch out for this weekend

By Jyotirmoy Halder

OLIMPICO STADIUM, ROMA, ITALY - 2021/10/16: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of SS Lazio (2l) celebrates with team mates after scoring the goal of 3-1 during the Serie A football match between SS Lazio and FC Internazionale. SS Lazio won 3-1 over FC Internazionale. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli /Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
OLIMPICO STADIUM, ROMA, ITALY - 2021/10/16: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of SS Lazio (2l) celebrates with team mates after scoring the goal of 3-1 during the Serie A football match between SS Lazio and FC Internazionale. SS Lazio won 3-1 over FC Internazionale. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli /Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images) /
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The eyes that have grown weary of witnessing international football over the past week might be feeling the prospect of revival, with Lazio hosting Juventus in a highly anticipated clash to celebrate the return of Serie A this weekend.

The Stadio Olimpico will see the utmost degree of euphoria among the enthusiasts as the 36-time Scudetto champions take to the field with an aspiration to thrust themselves right into the mix for a top-four spot.

Following an abysmal start to the season, the Old Lady currently sits eighth in the points table with 18 points from 12 matches, while Lazio, led by former Juve manager Maurizio Sarri, occupy fifth with 21 points. The Biancocelesti are just a point adrift of Atalanta in fourth.

Considering that both sides belong to that illustrious hub of the Italian ‘Seven Sisters’, the team from Rome pose a formidable challenge to the Bianconeri.

3 key Lazio players to watch out for against Juventus this Saturday

Ahead of the weekend, Sarri will have much to ponder, mainly due to Lazio’s ongoing injury crisis. Manuel Lazzari restarted his training earlier this week and is likely to cut the starting XI against Juventus on Saturday.

Nevertheless, there are concerns over the fitness of Ciro Immobile and Pedro. While the former has had his conflict with a miserable calf injury, the latter twisted his ankle in a training session in midweek. Patric remains on the sideline, too, having recently been diagnosed with flu symptoms.

Amid the injury woes, here are the three players who could play a key part on Saturday for the Roman outfit.

3. Sergej Milinković-Savić

Lazio, Juventus
Sergej Milinkovic Savic (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images) /

If there is any non-Italian footballer that the Romans truly admire, it is none other than Milinković-Savić. Since joining Lazio, the Serb has served the team in an exquisite manner. Thanks to that, he has established himself as one of the most desired midfielders in club football. A plethora of European heavyweights have pursued his signature for years, recognising the traits that the Serbia international does possess.

A regular in Maurizio Sarri’s midfield nowadays, Milinković-Savić represents the true definition of mezzala: a central midfielder outlining the cunning abilities to defend as a deep-lying midfielder, orchestrate the flow of the play with a wide range of passing and make onrushing thrusts into the attacking box more often than not.

Due to Milinković-Savić’s towering physical presence, the midfielder gets some extra leeway when it comes to dealing with aerial battles. Defenders often find his offensive runs hard to track. That said, the 26-year-old has made a fine start to the 2021/22 Serie A campaign. The Serb has already recorded three goals and four assists from 12 games (per FBref.com) in the top tier of Italian football this season.

Touted to be one of the best Serie A midfielders of his generation, Sergej Milinković-Savić is one of the players Juventus must be wary of during the weekend’s game. The Serb has built an odd tendency to play some awe-inspiring football against the Old Lady in recent years and Lazio fanatics will be hoping for a continuation of such form from their midfield maestro on Saturday.

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