Como – Lazio Rome
Interestingly, the new Serie A season kicks off with a match that has much more than just three points at stake: Como welcomes Lazio to the Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Sunday evening, where Cesc Fàbregas will face his former coach Maurizio Sarri. The starting positions could hardly be more different. While Como is ushering in a new era as a promoted team with enormous investments and the stamp of Fàbregas, Lazio is facing a difficult start to the season. The Biancocelesti come to Como with only four wins from six test matches, although the 2-0 win against Atromitos was encouraging, it could not hide the problems.
Sarri’s decision not to hold the traditional pre-match press conference already suggests that all is not well at Lazio. The blocked transfer market has put the Romans in a difficult position, even if captain Zaccagni emphasizes that they want to accept this situation as a challenge. The absence of several key players such as Isaksen and Vecino further exacerbates the personnel crisis. The betting market sees this match as completely even, which is quite surprising. Como, who have never beaten Lazio in direct encounters, could benefit from home advantage and a sense of optimism. However, previous encounters have spoken for themselves: a 5-1 win for Lazio in October, followed by a 1-1 draw in January.
- Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como
- Date and time: 24.08.2025, 18:30
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 1)
Como form & record check
Como is set to kick off the new Serie A season after a promising preseason. The newly promoted side, led by Cesc Fàbregas, has a decent record of three wins, one draw, and one loss in its last five competitive games. Their recent performance in the Coppa Italia against South Tyrol should have been particularly encouraging. Como showed impressive efficiency in their 3-1 win last week. After falling behind early on from a penalty, the Lombards completely turned the game around within a few minutes. Douvikas scored twice shortly before half-time, with Da Cunha adding another. This mentality of coming back from behind will be worth its weight in gold in Serie A.
An interesting pattern has emerged in Como’s recent form: in all five of their previous games, the second half has been low-scoring, while the team has usually scored and conceded goals over the 90 minutes. Fàbregas seems to be tactically focused on setting the tone in the first half and then playing controlled football. In terms of personnel, Como will be without Dossena, who has torn his cruciate ligament. Kühn is also out with Achilles tendon problems. Both absences are significant, as they represent a combined market value of €20 million. Generous investment by the new owners has made Como one of the most interesting promoted teams in recent years. Experts even see the club as a possible surprise contender for European places.
Como is expected to line up in its usual 4-3-2-1 formation under Cesc Fàbregas. Butez is likely to start in goal, while Vojvoda, Ramón, Kempf, and Alberto Moreno are expected to make up the back four. Sergi Roberto, Paz, and Da Cunha could occupy the midfield. Addai and Jesús Rodríguez are likely to play in the attacking zone behind striker Douvikas.
Fàbregas will be hampered by the long-term absences of valuable players Dossena and Kühn. With a market value of €12 million, Kühn is an important player who is unavailable due to Achilles tendon problems. Interestingly, according to recent reports, Como is still waiting for a response from Laporte, which could influence defensive planning.
Lazio Rome Form & Record Check
Lazio goes into the season opener against Como with mixed feelings. The Biancocelesti are coming off a disappointing 2023/24 season, which they ended with a bitter 0-1 home defeat to Lecce. Interestingly, the match escalated completely, with both Rebić and Santiago Pierotti seeing red, as did Lazio captain Romagnoli in stoppage time. The recent results show a team in transition. In their last five league games, they have managed just one win, with three draws and one defeat. Particularly striking is the tame first half, in which Lazio practically never conceded or scored more than 1.5 goals. This points to tactical caution, but also to a lack of ideas in their build-up play.
Sarri has to cope with several important absences. Isaksen is out with mononucleosis until the beginning of September, while Vecino is uncertain with thigh problems. Gigot and Patric are also out with muscle problems. On a positive note, captain Zaccagni has returned after undergoing minor surgery and is optimistic about the new season. Pre-season preparations have been mixed. Noslin and Pedro showed flashes of their quality in a 2-0 win over Atromitos, but the game looked nervous and disjointed. Mandas continues to battle with Provedel for the number one spot in goal. You could say that Sarri is still searching for the optimal line-up, especially in defense without the suspended Romagnoli.
Lazio are likely to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation for their away game against Como. Coach Maurizio Sarri has tested various options in recent friendly matches, and a clear picture of the starting eleven is emerging. Mandas could be preferred to Provedel in goal after the young Greek has shown strong performances recently. Sarri will have to do without Romagnoli, who is suspended, in defense. Gila and possibly a partner will form the central defense, flanked by Marusic and Nuno Tavares on the outside.
The absences of Gustav Isaksen due to mononucleosis and Matías Vecino due to thigh problems are particularly painful. This could open up additional opportunities in attack for Noslin and Dele-Bashiru. Captain Zaccagni is expected to start despite his recent surgery after signaling his readiness to play.
H2H Como – Lazio Rome Head-to-Head & Statistics
The recent history between Como and Lazio paints a clear picture: both encounters in 2024 ended in high-scoring games, with Lazio coming out on top. In October 2024, Lazio thrashed the Lombards 5-1 at home, followed by a 1-1 draw in Rome in January 2025. The pattern of these two games is interesting: Lazio took the lead at half-time in both games, while Como scored all their goals in the second half. This could indicate that Fàbregas’ team needs time to find its rhythm, while Sarri’s side is present from the start.
The statistics speak for themselves: Lazio conceded goals in both games but clearly dominated the first 45 minutes. Como, on the other hand, showed morale and scored in both games after the break. It seems that the tactical adjustments made by the hosts at half-time had a positive effect.
The first tip, “Both teams to score: Yes,” is supported by impressive statistics: Both Como and Lazio have scored at least one goal in 80% of their last five games. Interestingly, both teams are struggling with important absences in defense. Como will be without key players, while Lazio will be without Patric. The betting agencies rate the game as very evenly matched, but the offensive strength of both teams could be underestimated.
The second tip, “Over 1.5 goals – 1st half,” is quite risky, as Lazio has not scored more than 1.5 goals in the first half in any of its last games. Nevertheless, Fàbregas’ offensive orientation at Como suggests a fast-paced start to the season. As recent news reports indicate, Como has made significant investments and is presenting itself with great ambition, which could lead to a courageous performance in front of its home crowd. The third tip on “1X” is justified by Como’s strong home record and the fact that the Biancocelesti have to travel with several key players missing. While the betting markets slightly favor Lazio at odds of 2.8, the current situation seems to favor the home side.
