Just days after clashing in the Serie A, Lazio welcome Inter Milan at the Olimpico again, but this time with a trophy on the line. The Eagles won Coppa Italia the last time the two teams met in a final in 2000, but their more recent encounters suggest the Nerazzurri have a better chance of winning it this time.
Lazio’s resurgence came a little too late when it comes to qualifying for UEFA’s competitions through the top flight, but the Eagles can still secure a spot in the Europa League by winning this final.
They’ve definitely improved their form, but it was Inter Milan who gave them a reality check a few days ago when they dominated them at this stadium. Still, there’s little doubt that Lazio were certainly saving their energy so they could give it their all on Wednesday, and we’ll likely see a much better performance.
Inter Milan, meanwhile, can win a historic double after securing the Scudetto early. The Nerazzurri last played in a Coppa Italia final in 2023, and it’s worth noting that they’ve won each of their last four finals in the tournament.
Cristian Chivu’s players are in remarkable form at the end of the season, having won six of their last seven matches. In their last two, they didn’t concede a goal, including against Lazio.
How the bookies view it: An even greater advantage for the Nerazzurri
Interestingly, bookmakers are giving Inter an even bigger advantage in this match than they did for their Serie A clash on Saturday. Back then, the Nerazzurri were priced at 17/20, but now bookmakers are offering just 3/5.
On the other side, you can back Lazio at 4/1, while a draw in the final is priced at 14/5.
Recent head-to-head: Inter haven’t lost since 2022
As we already mentioned, Lazio and Inter played in Serie A on Saturday, with the Nerazzurri winning convincingly by a classic 3-0 score. They played a phenomenal first half, in which Lazio had no answer to the pressure, and the score was 2-0 before the break.
This victory is part of a far more impressive streak of nine matches without a loss against Lazio, with Inter winning seven of those games. A year ago, they faced off again in the Coppa Italia, with the Nerazzurri winning 2-0 on that occasion.
Players to watch: Martinez can punish Lazio for the third time this season
Inter were forced to play without Lautaro Martínez for the past two months as the Argentine recovered from a series of injuries. But his impact on the game was immediately noticeable upon his return.
Against Parma, he recorded an assist in just 25 minutes on the field, and in Saturday’s match against Lazio, he scored the opening goal and subsequently assisted on the second. We can also mention that he scored in the first match of the season between the two teams, when Inter won 2-0 at San Siro.
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Probable line-ups
Lazio: Motta, Pellegrini, Patric, Gila, Marusic, Dele-Bashiru, Rovella, Cancellieri, Basic, Pedro, Noslin
Inter Milan: Martinez, Bisseck, Bastoni, Acerbi, Diouf, Sucic, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Augusto, Thuram, Martinez
Anything else catch the eye?
While we definitely expect Lazio to show a better performance in this cup final, Inter Milan appear to be in a league of their own right now.
Their defence has improved, and they score multiple times per match. In the last seven matches in particular, the Nerazzurri have scored 22 goals, and 2+ in each one.
We expect an attractive final with action on both ends. But we have to back Inter Milan to win the double this season, and for a correct score, we’d go for 2-1.
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