Lazio vs Lecce Prediction: Who will be the stronger side?

On Friday, Lazio will face Lecce in their 35th round match of the Italian championship. Both teams are at the end of the season with tournament goals, so there is sure to be a very competitive game. Who will be the stronger side?

The team has been over-achieving in terms of points throughout the championship, according to xG statistics. So Biancocelesti's slump in results at the end of the league season is unsurprising. Of their last four matches, Lazio has lost three - at home to Torino (0:1) after losing the entire game to a tough mid-table side, away to Inter (1:3) after conceding three second-half goals, and away to AC Milan (0:2) after losing on all fronts. Lazio's only win in this phase came at home to Sassuolo (2:0), thanks to which they have maintained their place in the top four. The Romans are in third place but could drop out of the top four following the match against Lecce.

Suppose the Biancocelesti are struggling to keep their place in the Champions League competitions at the end of the season. In that case, the Gularossi have not guaranteed their place in Serie A. Last weekend they lost a vital match - at home to Lecce, they failed to beat Verona (0:1). Now the Red-Yellows are only 4 points away from the relegation zone. Perhaps the key match in the race for survival Lecce will play in the next round when they face La Spezia - the team that tops the bottom three in Serie A.

With their aggressive football, Lecce has been struggling towards the end of the season and is in danger of relegation. In their last ten games, the Giallorossi have only one win and eight defeats, while Marco Baroni's side has lost five straight-away matches. Lazio will surely use their poor form to pick up the all-important three points. The Romans have lost three of their last four games, putting next season's Champions League bid in doubt, and they cannot afford to lose points at home to an underdog. Given Lecce's poor-away statistics, we're betting on a Biancocelesti win and a low-scoring game.

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