Lazio are without several star players for tonight’s Serie A opener against Napoli, but Carlo Ancelotti has many big choices to make.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.30 UK time (18.30 GMT), click here for a match preview.
The Aquile narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season, losing a dramatic 3-2 final match against Inter, and the after-effects are still being felt.
Lazio are without several star players for tonight’s Serie A opener against Napoli, but Carlo Ancelotti has many big choices to make.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 19.30 UK time (18.30 GMT), click here for a match preview.
The Aquile narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot last season, losing a dramatic 3-2 final match against Inter, and the after-effects are still being felt.
Specifically, Lucas Leiva, Senad Lulic and defender Patric are all suspended for this fixture.
Jordan Lukaku and summer signing Valon Berisha are injured, but Milan Badelj is expected to take the midfield reins with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Ex-Sassuolo centre-back Francesco Acerbi leads the defence with Luiz Felipe the favourite ahead of Wallace.
Napoli make their competitive debut under Ancelotti, who keeps the 4-3-3 formation, but does things rather differently to Maurizio Sarri.
The biggest changes are in the midfield, where Marek Hamsik goes into a more central role to replace Chelsea-bound Jorginho, and in attack.
Dries Mertens scored 36 Serie A goals over the last two seasons, used as a centre-forward, but is set for a spot on the bench in favour of Arkadiusz Milik.
The other big choice regards the goal, where Alex Meret is injured after fracturing a bone in his arm during his second training session.
Orestis Karnezis is ready to go, but David Ospina completed the transfer from Arsenal – on loan with option to buy – and was added to the squad list this morning.
Probable line-ups
Lazio: Strakosha; Luiz Felipe, Acerbi, Radu; Marusic, Parolo, Badelj, Milinkovic-Savic, Caceres; Luis Alberto; Immobile
Napoli: Karnezis; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Mario Rui; Allan, Hamsik, Zielinski; Callejon, Milik, Insigne