Since this article was published, all Serie A fixtures on Easter Monday were postponed for a period of mourning following the death of Pope Francis. This game will now take place on Wednesday April 23.
After suffering a painful exit from Europe, Lazio will try to bounce back in Serie A, as the top-four contenders visit mid-table Genoa on Monday.
Beaten on penalties in the Europa League quarter-finals, the Rome club are intent on qualifying for UEFA's top competition next season - but they must play catch-up, having won just one of their last five league games.
Match preview
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Despite turning the tie around with a committed display at Stadio Olimpico, Lazio still endured defeat to Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League's last eight, with a 3-1 win after extra time only setting up an agonising penalty shootout.
Continuing their streak of scoring late goals this season, substitute Tijjani Noslin secured an extra half-hour with his last-gasp strike, but after both sides found the net again in a dramatic finale, the hosts ultimately failed from the spot.
Cruelly, it was top scorer Taty Castellanos who saw the final penalty saved - Lazio's third miss from five attempts - and a team that had so convincingly topped the league-phase table bowed out.
That setback followed their 1-1 league draw with arch-rivals Roma in last week's Derby della Capitale - a result which leaves the Biancocelesti trailing behind in a frantic top-four race.
So, with the Europa League route now closed - and only six rounds remaining in Serie A - Marco Baroni's men can afford few more mistakes if they are to return to the Champions League.
Since 2015-16, Lazio have averaged 2.3 goals per game against their next opponents - their best rate against any club over that period - but recent trends suggest they may find it tougher to break them down again.
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Though Genoa have won only three of their last 17 league meetings with Lazio, losing no fewer than 11, they may feel ready to topple their capital-city counterparts on Monday.
Since Patrick Vieira's arrival in November, the Grifone have accrued 29 points from 20 games, which would be good enough for ninth place in the standings.
Indeed, following last week's goalless draw with Hellas Verona, the Frenchman boasts the highest top-flight points average (1.45 per match) of any Genoa coach this century, and his well-drilled team have long allayed any relegation fears.
In 2025, the Ligurian side are unbeaten at home, with an impressive record of five wins from six so far - that is as many successes at Stadio Ferraris as they had posted throughout the previous 23.
Furthermore, Vieira's men have conceded the fewest goals at home - only two - this calendar year, and such resilience has kept them in contention for a once improbable top-half finish.
Team News
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Marco Baroni will be counting the cost - both psychological and physical - of his team's Europa League exit, with first-choice left-back Nuno Tavares leaving the pitch in tears after suffering yet another muscular injury and Lazio's star striker Taty Castellanos pulling up with cramp.
The latter played all 120 minutes against Bodo/Glimt despite only recently returning from a layoff, before missing the final spot kick, so he may be touch-and-go for Monday's trip to Marassi.
In the absence of Nuno Tavares, Adam Marusic, Elseid Hysaj and Luca Pellegrini are all contenders to start; Loum Tchaouna may come in for suspended winger Gustav Isaksen, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in last week's Rome derby.
Centre-back Alessio Romagnoli - whose first goal and first red card in Serie A both came against Genoa several years ago - set up Tijjani Noslin's late strike on Thursday and has scored twice in his last four league games, which is as many goals as throughout the previous 95.
Meanwhile, Genoa's absence list features Maxwel Cornet, Mattia Bani and Hugo Cuenca, while Ruslan Malinovskyi is still struggling with a leg injury and could join them on the sidelines.
Patrick Vieira can recall Morten Frendrup, as the Danish midfielder returns from suspension, so either Milan Badelj or Patrizio Masini may make way.
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Zanoli, Miretti, Vitinha; Pinamonti
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Mandas; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Guendouzi, Rovella; Tchaouna, Dia, Zaccagni; Noslin
We say: Genoa 1-1 Lazio
Surely bearing the scars of their Europa League loss, Lazio could be vulnerable on Monday evening - particularly as Genoa are so tough to beat.
Yet, the Biancocelesti have scored a league-leading 18 goals in the final 15 minutes this season - six coming after the 90th minute - and with no fewer than 16 strikes via substitutes they should at least stave off defeat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
