Match preview

In their first match since a painful Derby della Capitale defeat to city rivals Roma, an absence-hit Lazio side took the lead through Boulaye Dia's opening goal last weekend, when they played host to lowly Como.

However, a first win of 2025 then slipped from their grasp, as Loum Tchaouna carelessly received two bookings within the space of a minute, before Patrick Cutrone headed home to make it 1-1 at Stadio Olimpico.

Lazio have now taken just two points from their last three home matches, seeing them slip out of the Scudetto race and into a multi-club scrap for European qualification.

Set to resume their current Europa League campaign next week, with a home game against Real Sociedad, the Biancocelesti are within a whisker of confirming a last-16 place - and they also have a Coppa Italia quarter-final to look forward to.

First, though, coach Marco Baroni must return to his former club, having guided Verona to safety last season, before being lured down to Rome.

Lazio will have history on their side, after losing only two of the clubs' last 18 league meetings, including a 2-1 victory in September's reverse fixture.

Nonetheless, Verona are actually unbeaten in their last three Serie A games against Lazio at Stadio Bentegodi, where a hard-fought battle could commence this weekend.

The two teams with the highest number of cards this season will convene: a tally of 51 yellow cards and four reds for the visitors meets 47 yellows and six sendings-off for the hosts.

Furthermore, three of the four most ill-disciplined players in Italian football could feature: Lazio's Nicolo Rovella (nine bookings) and Taty Castellanos (six yellow cards, plus a red in the recent Rome derby) and Verona's Diego Coppola (seven yellows).

Paolo Zanetti's side failed to put up much of a fight last week, however, tamely losing 2-0 to Napoli at Stadio Maradona, where the Scaligeri have not won in 20 league games.

Seven points from their previous four outings had taken Hellas clear of the drop zone, but they remain deep in danger amid a jam-packed bottom half of the table.

Having failed to even score in four of their last six home matches - including recent clashes with AC Milan and Udinese - they will now hope to turn that trend around and pull off an upset on Sunday.

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Montipo; Dawidowicz, Coppola, Ghilardi; Tchatchoua, Duda, Serdar, Lazovic; Suslov; Sarr, Tengstedt

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Hysaj, Gigot, Gila, Tavares; Rovella, Guendouzi; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos