Lazio vs Nice Prediction: Hosts to come out on top

Lazio and OGC Nice collide at Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Thursday (17:45, TNT Sports 5) in the Europa League. The hosts will be looking to build on their 3-0 win at Dynamo Kyiv last time out, while Nice came from behind to earn a draw at home to Real Sociedad.

The Italian side are sitting just outside the top six in Serie A on goal difference with three wins from their opening six games. Nice have collected eight points from their first six games in Ligue 1, so this could be an evenly-shaped contest. Read on for my Lazio vs Nice prediction, including match odds and team news.

Lazio vs Nice Odds

Lazio are 4/5 to take the three points, which gives them a 55.6% chance of victory. Nice are valued at 100/30, giving them an implied probability of 23.1%. The draw is on offer at 12/5 (29.4%).

Both teams to score is marketed at 10/11 and over 2.5 goals is available at 1/1.

Lazio duo Boulaye Dia and Valentin Castellanos have scored three goals in Serie A so far, and the former scored twice against Dynao Kyiv in their Champions League opener. They are 15/8 and 8/5 respectively to score anytime on Wednesday.

Winger Evann Guessand has netted three times in Ligue 1, and he is 16/5 to score at any stage during this contest to open his Europa League account for the campaign.

Football Odds

Team News 

Lazio boss Marco Baroni will likely consider making similar changes to his side like he did for the trip to Hamburg in their last European encounter, prioritising his main stars in the league.

Having just returned from injury, Patric will be eyeing up a start on Wednesday among Lazio's back line. Attacking players such as Pedro, Loum Tchaouna and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru could be brought in, having supported Dia up top against Dynao Kyiv, with the latter grabbing the other goal in the 3-0 victory.

Baroni will be unable to call upon Tijani Noslin after he was sent off in that match, and he will serve his suspension against Nice. Defender Samuel Gignot is also set to miss out through injury.

Nice have a tough game with Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend, so manager Franck Haise could also look to rotate his options for Wednesday's contest. Melvin Bard is out of action until after the international break, so Ali Abdi will continue to fill in for him on the left flank.

Tanguy Ndombele could be well enough to return to the bench for this one, but Morgan Sanson, Terem Moffi, Mohammed-Ali Cho and Gaetan Laborde remain in the treatment room.

This should ensure Guessand and Youssoufa Moukoko keep their places in attack.

Lazio and both teams to score @ 3/1

With a much smaller injury list, you can understand why Lazio are the favourites to come out on top in this clash. There is the home advantage factor too, so I think Lazio are worth backing to win here.

I have boosted the odds with both teams to score because Nice will still have some of their star attackers available so I think they can get on the scoresheet for the second successive Europa League fixture. Nice have also been involved in three league matches this term in which both teams have scored.

BTTS has also been a winning selection in all six of Lazio's Serie A matches, despite not landing in their European triumph over Dynamo Kyiv. Over the summer, there was a lot of sadness around Lazio as star forward Ciro Immobile moved on after seven years and over 200 goals for the club.

However, I Biancocelesti have done well to freshen up their attacking options with the likes of Dia, Tchaouna and Dele-Bashiru. It is certainly helping them find the goals as they have netted 12 in six league games, averaging at two per game, while firing three past their Russian opponents last time out in the Europa League.

I think Nice are going to be in for a tough evening in Rome. I think they can get on the scoresheet, but ultimately I am expecting Lazio to make it two wins in as many games.

Valentin Castellanos anytime goalscorer @ 8/5

Argentine forward Castellanos will be itching for a promotion to the starting lineup against Nice after making a 22-minute cameo in Hamburg a fortnight ago. After arriving at Lazio from New York City in the summer of 2023, he has had to be patient for his opportunities. With Immobile no longer in the picture, he will be vying with Salernitana loanee Dia for the centre-forward role.

Baroni could opt to rest the main man on this occasion to give Castellanos a run out. The 25-year-old has already provided three goals in the league and he has started in all the Serie A fixtures he has been available for.

He will be eager to get up and running in Europe as he bids to fill the void left behind by the modern Lazio legend Immobile, and I think he can do just that against a Nice side that is riddled with injuries, and one that is also expected to be heavily rotated.

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