Serie A kicks off for 2015 with a showdown for third place between Lazio and Sinisa Mihajlovic’s Sampdoria.
It starts at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Both teams are locked together in third place on 27 points going into the game, joined by Napoli, while Genoa, Milan and Fiorentina follow close behind.
Serie A kicks off for 2015 with a showdown for third place between Lazio and Sinisa Mihajlovic’s Sampdoria.
It starts at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
Both teams are locked together in third place on 27 points going into the game, joined by Napoli, while Genoa, Milan and Fiorentina follow close behind.
Lazio have surged up the standings recently with seven points from the last three rounds, though it would’ve been more if they hadn’t thrown away a 2-0 lead at Inter.
Antonio Candreva and Lucas Biglia are back in the squad following long-term injuries, but only the Argentina international is fit to start, while Michael Ciani, Ederson, Alvaro Gonzalez, Edson Braafheid and Santiago Gentiletti are still out.
Therefore on-form Felipe Anderson leads the way, the young Brazilian netting three goals in two games.
Filip Djordjevic is picked ahead of Miroslav Klose with Stefano Mauri in a trident attack.
Sampdoria are the only team in Serie A – along with leaders Juventus – to have suffered just one defeat all season.
Mihajlovic has performed miracles with this squad and they are mounting a realistic challenge for Europe, which would only be further boosted by a positive result here.
It’s Miha’s old hunting ground, as the Coach won numerous trophies wearing the Lazio jersey.
Lorenzo De Silvestri is out injured against his former club and Djamel Mesbah on Africa Cup of Nations duty, so Fabrizio Cacciatore steps into the back four.
Emiliano Viviano gets his first game since October, as following an injury he had lost his place to Sergio Romero.
This is Sampdoria’s first match since selling top scorer Manolo Gabbiadini to Napoli, so the system changes too with Roberto Soriano behind Stefano Okaka and Eder.
There’s added spice to this game, as fiery Samp President Massimo Ferrero is a self-avowed Roma fan. “Nobody’s perfect,” joked Mihajlovic.
Lazio: Marchetti; Basta, De Vrij, Cana, Radu; Parolo, Biglia, Lulic; Felipe Anderson, F Djordjevic, Mauri
Lazio bench: Berisha, Strakosha, Pereirinha, Konko, Novaretti, Cavanda, Ledesma, Candreva, Onazi, Cataldi, Keita, Klose
Sampdoria: Viviano; Cacciatore, Gastaldello, Romagnoli, Regini; Rizzo, Palombo, Obiang; Soriano; Eder, Okaka
Sampdoria bench: Da Costa, Romero, Duncan, Fedato, Krsticic, Sansone, Bergessio, Silvestre, L Djordjevic, Marchionni, Fornasier, Wszolek