Lazio vs Mantova | Coppa Italia | Where to Watch, Insights, Lineups & Prediction

Lazio vs Mantova | Coppa Italia | Where to Watch, Insights, Lineups & Prediction

On Sunday, Lazio will play their first competitive match of the season, hosting Mantova in the opening round of the Coppa Italia.

Lazio vs Mantova Kick-Off Time, Location & Where to Watch

The Coppa Italia clash between Lazio and Mantova kicks off at 21:15 local time on Sunday, August 16, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

To find out how to watch Lazio vs Mantova in your respective country, check out this verified list of international TV listings.

Lazio Form Guide: Recent Results

The Coppa Italia’s rules state that the Top 8 clubs in the Serie A table enter the competition in the Round of 16. Therefore, Lazio’s mediocre results from last season have returned to haunt them, as their ninth-place finish means they have to begin their campaign earlier than expected and by negotiating two extra rounds.

Following Maurizio Sarri’s expected departure at the end of the previous campaign, the management turned to Gennaro Gattuso. The new head coach had a perfect record in pre-season, winning all six summer friendlies.

However, observers will be quick to point out that the club didn’t face any formidable opponents, as besides the newly-promoted Frosinone, their challengers were all from the lower divisions. Hence, Lazio will only be truly put to the test when they start playing Serie A clubs week in, week out.

Mantova Form Guide: Recent Results & Table Position

Following their 11th-place finish in Serie B last season, the Virgiliani will be hoping to reach the play-off spots this season. The Lombardians cannot aspire to go too far in the Coppa Italia, but an early-season challenge against Lazio will be an interesting challenge for Francesco Modesto’s men.

In their last two friendly games, Mantova beat Legnano Salus by three goals to one, before losing 0-1 to Serie C side Carpi.

Lazio vs Mantova: Match Insights

• Coppa Italia record: While Lazio have won the tournament on seven occasions and are the current runner-up, Mantova only reached the semi-final once, dating back to the 1961/62 season.
• Previous Meetings: Lazio and Mantova met eight times in the past across all competitions. The Aquile won five times, with the other three meetings ending in draws. Mantova never beat the Italian capital side.
• The most recent meeting: The last time Lazio played against Mantova in a competitive fixture was in March 1969. The Serie B contest ended in a 1-1 draw.

Expected Starting Lineups

Lazio (4-3-3): Mandas; Marusic; Doekhi, Provstgaard, Pedraza; Dele-Bashiru, Rovella, Taylor; Noslin, Dia, Zaccagni.

Mantova (3-4-2-1): Bardi; Meroni, Cella, Castellini; Cajazzo, Trimboli, Ignacchitti, Benaissa; Ilie, Ruocco; Mancuso.

Predictions: Lazio 3-1 Mantova

Due to the anti-Lotito fan protest, Mantova might be able to count on a bigger number of supporters in the stands, at least if they can bring in a large host south with them. Therefore, the visitors might start the match on a positive note, and based on Lazio’s pre-season results, the Lombardians might even take a shocking lead.

Nevertheless, Gattuso should have enough talent at his disposal to crush the rebellion and ensure his team progresses to the next round with a convincing result. He surely wouldn’t want any missteps on his Lazio debut, especially with the fanbase already boiling.