Lazio vs Atalanta Betting, Odds and Storylines Breakdown
Lazio host Atalanta on Sunday in Serie A, with both sides still competing for individual goals. While the Biancocelesti need a win to solidify their bid for a Champions League berth – currently sitting four points ahead of Inter with three games remaining – the away side desperately want to qualify for the Europa League for the second season in a row. This should be yet another winner-takes all match in what has been a fascinating climax to the season in Serie A for fans of football betting.
“There are still three games to go and they will be like three finals,” Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic told reporters after a 1-0 win over Torino last weekend. “We hope to get into the Champions League. Now we have a good advantage over Inter, but want to win all the games anyway.”
This should be a highly entertaining matchup between two sides who enjoy playing on the counter-attack. Atalanta are good in the air and may look to expose their opponent’s weakness for conceding from set pieces, however Lazio have netted the highest number of goals in the league this season and may simply attempt to outscore their opponent as they did in a 4-3 win over Fiorentina just two weeks ago.
Form Suggests a High Scoring Match
Although Lazio are missing the current Serie A top scorer Ciro Immobile through injury, this side have proved they can score goals from all areas of the pitch. Former Liverpool man Luis Alberto and Milinkovic-Savic have netted 11 times each this term, while even Stefan De Vrij has bagged six from central defence, all adding to a total tally of 84 in 2017/18. The Aquile are unbeaten in their last six, with only the Rome derby from those previous clashes ending in a draw.
Meanwhile, Atalanta have won their last three league outings, firing in at least two goals in all of those matches. The matchup between the two sides earlier this season ended in a 3-3 draw back in December, pointing to a high scoring affair once again this time around. Karamba currently have odds of 17/4 on over 4.5 goals in this match, a bet well worth your time considering the goalscoring form of the two sides.
Lazio have only lost once to Atalanta in the last six – a 2-1 home win for La Dea back in October 2015 – suggesting that a bet on a home win would make sense here. 888sport have odds of 2.0 for a Lazio win, something that would be well worth considering here.
Lazio Defenders to Score Worth a Bet
15 of the total goals scored by Lazio in Serie A have come from defenders, representing the highest figure in any of Europe’s top five leagues. Lazio centre-half De Vrij scored in a 4-0 win over Sampdoria on April 22nd, while Caceres fired in during the aforementioned 4-3 win over Fiorentina during the last midweek round in Serie A.
With this in mind, BetBright are offering odds on all of the Biancocelesti squad, with De Vrij at 9/2 for anytime goalscorer alongside 11/2 for Martin Caceres and 8/1 on Jordan Lukaku. These bets are worth thinking about considering the aforementioned stats, with Lazio inclined to find goals not only from their potent attacking front line.
Josip Ilicic in Good Form for the Visitors
Atalanta winger Josip Ilicic has been revitalised under the tutelage of boss Gian Piero Gasperini since his move from Fiorentina last summer, having scored 16 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions. The 30-year-old returned to the squad last week after suffering an injury whilst on international duty with Slovenia and netted a goal in a 3-1 win over Genoa despite only having played 29 minutes of the match.
His previous league outing before that injury saw Ilicic fire in a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Hellas Verona and could certainly contribute to the scoring during Sunday’s match. “Ilicic has always been a great player, but this season he has been more consistent,” said Gasperini of the Slovenian after that match. “He has the ability to score many goals, I always tell him that, as he has such strong technique. He’s decisive in the box.”
BetBright are offering 13/2 on Ilicic as an anytime goalscorer, a bet certainly worth your time for a winger in supreme form.
Probable Line Ups
Lazio (3-5-1-1): Strakosha; Caceres, De Vrij, Luiz Felipe; Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Lulic, Lukaku; Luis Alberto; Caicedo
Atalanta (3-4-3): Berisha; Toloi, Palomino, Masiello; Castagne, De Roon, Freuler, Gosens; Ilicic, Barrow, Gomez
