Roma comes into tonight’s derby on a 15-match unbeaten streak in Serie A, while Lazio’s only recent joy came with a surprise win in Bergamo over Atalanta. Without that result, the Sky Blues would be deep in crisis mode. This match is effectively a playoff for the final Champions League spot: the winner stays in the race, the loser faces a season of missed opportunities and disappointment — particularly considering the high expectations surrounding both clubs, either from the start of the campaign (Lazio) or recent weeks (Roma).The Derby della Capitale awaits! ⚔️#LazioRoma pic.twitter.com/K2BpQ9qcPa— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) April 13, 2025 The first derby of the season, won by Roma, was a turning point for the Giallorossi. Back then, Roma trailed Lazio by 15 points. Lorenzo Pellegrini’s goal changed everything — not just for the team, but for his own career trajectory. He was on his way to Napoli at that point, but that derby reignited his role in the capital. On the Lazio side, hopes are pinned on the experience and magic of Claudio Ranieri, who boasts an impeccable derby record: five wins in five derbies as Roma coach.4/4 – Claudio #Ranieri became the first manager in #SerieA history able to win all his first four derby against Lazio as #Roma coach. King.#RomaLazio pic.twitter.com/S066TPui23— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) January 5, 2025 Tonight’s match also pits former Girona strikers — Taty Castellanos (Lazio) and Artem Dovbyk (Roma) — against each other. Injuries limited both this season. Still, Castellanos has proven to be a vital piece for Lazio, with the team earning more points when he plays. Dovbyk, despite inconsistent performances, has 16 goals in 39 appearances — a decent return for a debut season, though Roma might still look to sell him in June. Both squads arrive with better injury news than expected. Lazio will have Guendouzi back, and Castellanos is fit to play at least 70 minutes. The major absence is Nuno Tavares, who is out until May. Roma will be without Paulo Dybala, whose season is already over. Ranieri will also welcome back Saelemaekers, who missed the Juventus game, and Renzo, a versatile option across several positions.Former Arsenal captain on Roma’s shortlistRoma’s talisman remains Lorenzo Pellegrini. Whenever he scores in the derby, Roma wins — as happened three times recently, including the first derby of 2025. Unlike previous Roman captains like Totti, De Rossi, and Florenzi, Pellegrini channels the derby’s emotions into productivity and leadership. Roma hasn’t conceded in the last three derbies, and hasn’t gone four straight derby clean sheets since 1960. They also haven’t won both league derbies in the same season for over a decade. Lazio, meanwhile, hasn’t lost a home derby since 2016 — with six wins and three draws in the last nine as hosts.Who knows what kind of player would Dybala be without injuries…Interestingly, both teams have scored in the same derby only once in the last ten matches — a 3–2 win for Lazio. Despite fewer local-born players in each squad, the derby remains fiery: over the last 30 years, it’s had a record 366 yellow cards and 39 red cards. Matteo Zaccagni, after a strong start to 2025, has cooled off. He has 8 goals and needs 2 more to equal his personal best, and just one more assist to match his top season total of 7.SERIE A – MATCHDAY 32FridayUdinese – Milan 0-4 (0-2)/Leao 42, Pavlovic 45, Hernandez 74, Reijnders 81/SaturdayVenezia – Monza 1-0 (0-0)/Fila 72/Inter – Cagliari 3-1 (2-0)/Arnautovic 13, Martinez 26, Bisseck 55 – Piccoli 48/Juventus – Lecce 2-1 (2-0)/Koopmeiners 2, Yildiz 33 – Baschirotto 87/SundayAtalanta – Bologna 2-0 (2-0)/Retegui 3, Pašalić 21/16:00: (1.72) Fiorentina (3.60) Parma (5.20)16:00: (2.90) Verona (2.95) Genoa (2.70)19:00: (2.00) Como (3.40) Torino (3.90)21:45: (2.85) Lazio (3.00) Roma (2.75)Monday21:45: (1.33) Napoli (4.90) Empoli (10.5)***odds are subject to change***
