Previous encounters
Napoli visit the capital this Saturday to take on Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico – a ground where they have had little joy so far this season. Antonio Conte's men have already been beaten once in Rome by Lazio – in the Coppa Italia – and were denied three points against Roma the other week when the Giallorossi snatched a late equaliser.
Having also triumphed in the reverse fixture at the Maradona, the Biancocelesti will be looking to record three wins over Napoli in a single season for the first time since 1994/95.
Indeed, the Azzurri haven't beaten Lazio in any of their last four meetings (D1, L3), having won four on the bounce before then.
Lazio: chances galore and plenty of balls from out wide
Lazio have found the net 4.5 times in Serie A this season and have an Expected Goals of 38.6 from 345 efforts on goal (128 on target). Those statistics put Lazio third in each of the above categories (behind Inter and Atalanta), highlighting what a dangerous side they are.
Marco Baroni's side are especially lethal towards the end of games and boast the league's best attack in the last half an hour (23 goals), in last 15 minutes (16 goals) and in added time (five goals).
Conte's men will be well aware of this particular threat having been put to the sword in the reverse fixture by Gustav Isaksen's 79th-minute goal.
This glut of late goals is testament to the Biancocelesti's impressive fitness levels, which is also clear from the energy they expend in regaining possession after losing it. No team has attempted more shots than Lazio this season (35) after winning the ball back in the final 40 metres. Napoli are the team with the second-best record in this department (34 shots).
Another key aspect of Lazio's attacking play is their ability to put in crosses from open play, of which they have managed 401 so far – at least 19 more than any other team.
Castellanos streak, Pedro sempiternal, Tavares a thorn in the side
Lazio's chief goal threat is the in-form Valentin Castellanos. The 26-year-old has had the most shots on target (34) this season and, having found the net in the last two games, is looking to make it three in a row for the first time in Serie A.
The Argentine is not just a goalscorer, though: he laid on two assists in last week's 5-1 defeat of Monza to make it four goal contributions in two games.
One of those assists was for Pedro, who bagged a brace against Monza and continues to defy his age. The 37-year-old has now notched five goals this season, making him the second-oldest player with at least five goals in the top five European leagues, after Jamie Vardy (38, seven goals).
In the last five seasons Pedro has fared better only once, in 2021/22, when he struck nine times in his maiden season for Lazio.
The former Barcelona and Chelsea man has scored against Napoli before too, in a 2-1 win for the Azzurri at the Olimpico in February 2022.
Nuno Tavares and Giovanni Di Lorenzo are the two defenders who have created the most chances for team-mates from open play this season: 25 and 30, respectively. The one-time Benfica full-back's service for the team has seen him accumulate eight assists this term – no one has managed more in the Italian top flight.
Stats by Opta
