Match preview

Their knockout place already confirmed with two rounds remaining, Europa League leaders Lazio welcomed Real Sociedad to Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening, when direct entry to the last 16 was safely secured.

Mario Gila's early goal had put the Rome club on course for victory before their Basque visitors were reduced to 10 men, and further strikes from captain Mattia Zaccagni and top scorer Taty Castellanos wrapped up a 3-1 win.

Still unbeaten in continental competition, the Biancocelesti top the standings by three points, meaning they can afford to take their foot off the gas in next week's league-phase finale, away to Braga.

A few days earlier, Lazio had put three past Verona at Stadio Bentegodi, with Zaccagni finding the net against his old club, so they can now target their first consecutive Serie A wins since November.

Marco Baroni's men had been on the fringes of title contention until suffering a dip last month - most notably losing the Derby della Capitale to arch-rivals Roma - and they have taken just one point from their last three league games at the Olimpico.

Nonetheless, they are still very much in the mix for Champions League qualification, while a meeting with Inter Milan awaits in February's Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

With no losses and six wins from their last eight home games against Fiorentina, precedent also suggests that they can prevail again this weekend.

However, the visitors will have other plans, as after a 2-1 win in September's reverse fixture, Fiorentina could finally do the double over Lazio for the first time since 2013.

Recent results indicate they face an uphill struggle, as head coach Raffaele Palladino has seen his team's form nosedive over the past few weeks.

Although star striker Moise Kean gave Fiorentina the lead against 10-man Torino last time out, they failed to hold on and end a worrying winless streak - despite playing for nearly an hour with one extra player.

Following a disappointing 1-1 home draw, the Tuscan club have won none of their last six league games, equalling their worst such streak since late 2020.

The Viola's mid-season slump has also featured defeat to rock-bottom Monza, plus a three-goal beating by Napoli, leaving them sixth in Serie A - now six points adrift of Lazio.

Already out of the Coppa Italia, and with the Conference League on hiatus, they must now try to turn things around in Italy's top flight, but a tough test awaits on Sunday.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

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

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Mandragora; Colpani, Gudmundsson, Folorunsho; Kean