Serie A season is here, and AC Milan vs Lazio also
AC Milan and Lazio have come out of the gates firing in the 2021-22 Serie A season. Both teams have gained all six points from their first two games and are poised for an early-season blockbuster matchup.
With nine goals through two games, Lazio has taken Serie A by storm so far and has the league’s most goals. Milan is looking to build on its first Champions League qualification since 2013 and mount a title challenge.
As expected, the soccer odds project Milan has a better chance to win at home. AC Milan has +120 odds to win, while Lazio is listed at +215 and a draw is +260.
- Game: AC Milan vs S.S. Lazio
- Location: Stadio San Siro, Milan, Italy
- Date/Time: Sept. 12, 12 P.M. ET
Head to Head
Milan beat Lazio 3-2 at the San Siro last season, behind a 90th-minute winner from Theo Hernandez. Lazio picked up a 3-0 win in the reverse fixture, with two goals from Joaquin Correa, who was recently loaned out to Inter Milan. In the last ten Serie A meetings there have been two draws but Milan leads the series 5-3.
Milan’s Momentum
Despite the offseason departure of Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament Gianluigi Donnarumma, things are looking up for Milan. Milan kicks off its first Champions League campaign in nearly a decade next week vs Liverpool and has started off the season well.
Striker Olivier Giroud, who became a Chelsea cult hero, joined over the Summer and has hit the ground running. The French International scored twice in a 4-1 win vs Cagliari. Milan is shaping up to be one of the best soccer picks to win Serie A, replacing Donnarumma with the impressive French international Mike Maignan.
Maignan has conceded just one goal in his first two games for the Rossoneri. Meanwhile, midfielder Franck Kessie, who could be on his way out of Milan in January, is recovering from an injury and would boost Milan’s squad should he return. Either way, this is a well-balanced Milan team that should be expected to win the vast majority of matches.
The Duality of Immobile
Italy won Euro 2020 in spite of Ciro Immobile. Immobile, who was coming off of a 20-goal season with Lazio, found the net just twice in six games. The striker’s decision-making came into question and he put just three of his eighteen shots on target.
Immobile left Italy’s world cup qualifying campaign with a muscular injury but was similarly ineffective in matches vs Bulgaria and Switzerland. His status should be monitored leading up to Sunday’s match but he has been excellent to start the season for Lazio.
He scored a first-half hat trick in the 6-1 win vs Spezia and added another goal in the season opening 3-1 win vs Empoli. Immobile leads Serie A with four goals through two matches.
With Correa off to Inter Milan, Lazio doesn’t have many proven attacking options should Immobile miss time and would become a dubious pick for betting online. Pedro, who recently transferred from Roma, is 34 and never much of a goal scorer anyway. Sixteen year old striker Luka Romero recently made his debut and could get an opportunity should Immobile be out for this match.
Prediction
Lazio let itself down last season on the road. The Rome-based club finished in sixth and went just 8-9-2 away from the Stadio Olimpico. Strangely, Milan was excellent on the road but merely average at home in 2020. AC Milan picked up 30 points at home but managed a whopping 49 points away from the San Siro.
Immobile and defender Manuel Lazzari remain question marks for Lazio in this match. Lazzari suffered a calf injury in the win vs Spezia and subsequently pulled out of the Italy squad.
Milan’s sportsbook odds of +120 present good value. With Lazio not at full strength, I expect Milan to take advantage and hand the Biancocelesti their first loss of the season.
