Inter Milan vs. Lazio: Preview, match thread and how to watch

It isn’t something that Lazio has likely forgotten about. For that matter, it isn’t likely Inter Milan has forgotten about that night in May when Matias Vecino scored a game winner that sent Inter to the Champions League and Lazio to the Europa League.

For the first time since their 3-2 win in the capital, Inter Milan returns to take on Lazio and both teams are third and fourth, respectively, in Serie A with Lazio one point back of the Nerazzurri.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

Inter team news

It might not have been the ending they wanted in Barcelona, but regardless of the 2-0 defeat, Inter still hold a five-match winning streak in Serie A dating back to matchday 4.

The Nerazzurri will be without the services of Radja Nainggolan, who is still suffering from an injury he picked up against AC Milan last weekend. Inter boss Luciano Spalletti said while Nainggolan is important, there are others who can work in his place.

We don’t depend on just one player,” Spalletti said in his pre-match press conference Sunday. “We’re a group, a team, a club, a collection of very capable people who can make a contribution so that we reach our objectives. Those who’ve replaced Radja have done their bits, had some very good games and they’ve made a contribution, doing good things.”

He did add that Nainggolan has started to run and will continue to be evaluated.

Striker Mauro Icardi has started to find form despite not scoring against Barcelona in their Champions League action midweek. All four of Icardi’s goals in Serie A have come in the last three matches — including the game winner against AC Milan in the Derby della Madonnina and a brace at SPAL the week before.

Defensively, Spalletti would likely roll out the same lineup he had in the Derby with Sime Vrsaljko starting in place of Danilo D’Ambrosio. The big question will be who will start in place of Nainggolan? Keita Balde hasn’t proven himself at this point, so it might be time for Lautaro Martinez to start behind Icardi.

Projected lineup: Handanovic; Vrsaljko, de Vrij, Skriniar, Asamoah; Brozovic, Vecino; Politano, Martinez, Perisic, Icardi.

Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images

Lazio team news

Lazio picked up a nice 3-1 win over Marseille in the Europa League midweek and have won four of their last five Serie A matches to move into fourth in the division.

Filipe Caicedo and Wallace proved to be all Lazio needed against Marseille as Adam Marusic came off the bench.

Ciro Immobile — who shared the capocanniere with Icardi last season — has, like Icardi, started to come alive scoring three of his six Serie A goals in the last three matches. Before that, he scored a brace in a win over Genoa and had not scored since the first match of the season — a 2-1 loss to Napoli. Expect Luis Alberto to continue to work up front with Immobile.

Defensive midfielder Milan Badelj remains injured and isn’t likely to play Monday. However, goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha remains one of the strongest goalkeepers in the league.

Projected lineup: Strakosha; Radu, Acerbi, Luiz Felipe; Patric, Milinkovic, Parolo, Leiva, Lulic; Alberto, Immobile.

Match Info

Time and Date: 3:30 p.m. (ET), Monday, Oct. 29, 2018.

Location: Stadio Olimpico (Rome)

TV/Streaming: In the United States, the match will be viewable on ESPN+ as part of their Serie A coverage. In the United Kingdom, the match will be streamed on Eleven Sports 1 UK. In Italy, you can watch the match on Sky Calcio 1 and Sky Go Italia.

Click here to see all of the streaming options around the globe.

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