Preview: Lazio vs. Crotone - prediction, team news, lineups

European hopefuls Lazio host relegation strugglers Crotone in what will be the first Serie A match played at 3pm (CET) on a Friday in the 21st century.

The Aquile have suffered a dip in form recently, losing their last three matches in all competitions, while Crotone claimed only their fourth victory of the campaign last weekend against Torino.

Match preview

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Lazio have lost ground in the race for European qualification after a run of three defeats in their last four league matches, including last weekend's 3-1 loss away at Juventus.

The Aquile started brightly and took the lead 14th minutes in through Joaquin Correa, but they were unable to carry any of their early momentum forward, and a second-half brace from Alvaro Morata helped Juve turn the game on its head and secure all three points.

An eighth defeat of the season has seen Lazio slip four points behind the top six in Serie A and seven points behind rivals Roma, who occupy the final Champions League place.

Head coach Simone Inzaghi is aware that performances must improve if they are to avoid slipping further behind, and he will be hoping his side can turn their fortunes around immediately against basement club Crotone.

Lazio's home form has improved significantly since Christmas; after winning just one of their opening six home matches, the Aquile have since claimed six successive league victories at the Stadio Olimpico.

Inzaghi's men beat Crotone 2-0 away from home in November earlier this campaign, and another victory on Friday would not only put them back on track in the league but would also give them a confidence boost heading into their last-16 second leg in the Champions League against Bayern Munich next Wednesday, which they are currently losing 4-1.

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Crotone ended a miserable run of seven successive Serie A defeats when they won 4-2 at home to fellow strugglers Torino last weekend.

A brace from Simy either side of half time, as well as strikes from Arkadiusz Reca and Adam Ounas, has given the Pythagoreans a glimmer of hope that they can pull off a great escape.

Serse Cosmi's side remain at the foot of the table, seven points from safety and travel to Rome as the only Serie A side yet to win away from home so far this season.

Crotone have picked up 14 of their 15 points this campaign against teams currently in the bottom half of the table and fortunately for them, four of their next seven league matches are against sides below 10th.

Their next Serie A encounter, however, is against a Lazio outfit that they have failed to beat in any of their last three attempts, and Crotone are likely to view any positive result taken from Friday's match as a bonus.

Ending their 13-game winless run away from home would see the visitors move off the bottom of the table for the first time since late December.

Team News

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Lazio wing-back Manuel Lazzari remains out with a calf injury sustained in the loss at Bologna, while injured defenders Luiz Felipe and Stefan Radu are both long-term absentees.

Experienced Bosnian international Senad Lulic could keep his spot at right wing-back, even though Patric is fit and available to feature.

Striker Ciro Immobile, who is set to start, is just one goal away from scoring his 150th in Serie A and could also become the second player in Lazio's history to score at least 15 goals in five consecutive top-flight campaigns, after Giuseppe Signori between 1992 and 1997.

For Crotone, Ahmad Benali (thigh), Luca Cigarini (knee) and Milos Vulic (muscle) are all ruled out through injury, although Koffi Djidji is fit and in contention to play.

Forward Simy, who is the club's top goalscorer with 10 Serie A goals this season, is set to start up front once again with either Samuel Di Carmine or Ounas.

Lazio possible starting lineup:
Reina; Marusic, Hoedt, Acerbi; Lulic, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva, Alberto, Fares; Correa, Immobile

Crotone possible starting lineup:
Cordaz; Magallan, Golemic, Luperto; Pereira, Molina, Petriccione, Messias, Reca; Ounas, Simy

We say: Lazio 3-1 Crotone

Lazio will be keen to put their troubles of the past fortnight behind them as they hope to stay in contention for a return to European competition next season.

Crotone are fighting for their lives at the bottom, and last weekend's victory will give them belief heading to the capital, but the hosts should have enough quality to claim all three points on Friday.