Serie A Season Opener: Lazio Hosts Verona, aiming for a Winning Start
The 2025-26 Serie A season is set to kick off, with Lazio hosting Hellas Verona at the Stadio Olimpico. This fixture holds significant importance for both teams' campaigns in the new season; Lazio aims for an opening victory in front of their home crowd, while Verona will be looking to secure points in their first match.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
This match marks an early fixture in the 2025-26 Serie A season, serving as a crucial opening test for both Lazio and Hellas Verona. Lazio traditionally contends for European qualification, and in the closing stages of the last season (2024-2025), they demonstrated their capability to secure a European spot. [2] Hellas Verona, on the other hand, is typically seen as a mid-table or relegation-battling team, with their primary objective often being to maintain their top-flight status. [4] This game will not only be a litmus test for the new season but will also set the initial tone for both teams.
Recent Form
Given the distant match date, it is not possible to predict the immediate form of both teams at the start of the 2025-26 season. However, we can refer to their performance at the end of the 2024-2025 season. Lazio displayed mixed form in their last five official matches of that season, with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. [16] Hellas Verona, in their final five matches of the 2024-2025 season, recorded 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 loss, indicating a relatively stable performance. [16] These figures provide an initial reference point for analyzing their start to the new season.
Key Players & Injury News
For Lazio, key players who stood out last season include the experienced Pedro, forward Boulaye Dia, Nuno Tavares, and central midfielders Nicolo Rovella and Matteo Guendouzi. [1, 2, 26] However, starting defender Alessio Romagnoli is expected to miss this match due to a red card suspension. [10] As for Hellas Verona, players to watch include last season's top league scorer Casper Tengstedt, Daniel Mosquera, and central midfielders Ondrej Duda and Suat Serdar. [4, 13, 27, 28] Due to the distant match date, apart from Romagnoli's confirmed suspension, specific injury news remains unclear and will require final confirmation closer to the game.