A 2-2 draw in the last match in Rome, a 1-0 win in Pisa and two coaches under very different pressures – this is the backdrop as Parma head to the Stadio Ennio Tardini for their Serie A clash with Lazio Rome on Saturday. Carlos Cuesta’s team is in 15th place in the table with 14 points, together with Genoa and Torino at the bottom of the table, while Maurizio Sarri’s team is in 10th place with 19 points, squeezed between Cremonese and Udinese, and the bookmakers see the visitors as clear favorites.
Historically, Lazio has usually had the upper hand in this matchup, but Parma have taken four points from their last two Serie A encounters, while Lazio last played 1-1 at home against Bologna and were punished for careless finishing, despite the progress emphasized by Sarri, especially with suspended defender Gila and injured winger Isaksen missing two important options.
- Venue: Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma
- Date and time: December 13, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 15)
Interestingly, the market already treats Lazio as clear favorites with odds close to 2.1, while the draw is only slightly higher. Sarri’s team has conceded only once in its last five games, and against hosts without Suzuki, while Lazio is missing Isaksen due to injury, a narrow away win seems like a reasonable option.
Parma form & record check
Parma go into this home game against Lazio Rome in a situation that is precarious but by no means hopeless. In Serie A, Carlos Cuesta’s team are 15th in the table with 14 points, level on points with Genoa above them and Torino below them. The win in Pisa has created a small cushion of four points above the relegation zone, but Parma remains firmly in the battle to avoid relegation.
Recent results paint a mixed picture. The 2-2 draw against Milan at home was probably more than many had expected and showed that Parma can keep up with strong opponents. Narrow away wins in Verona and Pisa underline this resilience, while the 2-0 home defeat to Udinese and the 2-1 defeat in the Coppa Italia in Bologna seemed like significant setbacks.
Statistically, Parma’s recent form follows a clear pattern. They have scored in four of their last five games in all competitions and conceded in just as many, with truly sterile encounters being rare. They often score before the break, after which the game tends to flatten out, with fewer than two goals in many second halves. Interestingly, as soon as his team takes the lead, Cuesta seems to prioritize control and security over the risk of an open exchange of blows.
The victory in Pisa summed up this Parma team well: encouraging, but prone to mistakes. Benedyczak converted the decisive penalty and had already tested the goalkeeper, while Bernabé and Britschgi provided the few moments of real quality in possession. After the break, the team was under pressure for long periods, relying on several saves from Corvi and benefiting from a late red card after a foul on Keita. On the plus side, there is the success, but in terms of personnel, the long-term absences of Suzuki and Frigan weigh heavily, and Circati and Ndiaye also remain sidelined.
Parma are expected to stick with a 4-3-3 formation under Carlos Cuesta, with Corvi back in goal in our predicted line-up. A back four of Britschgi, Delprato, Valenti and Valeri would provide balance, while Keita would cover the center and Estevez and Bernabé would bring running power and creativity. Up front, we expect Benedyczak and Ondrejka on the wings, flanking center forward Pellegrino.
In terms of personnel, this prediction assumes that Suzuki, who has been out for a long time, will continue to be unavailable, leaving Guaita as an experienced substitute on the bench. Circati and Ndiaye are still unavailable, making Valenti even more important in the defensive structure. In attack, Frigan’s serious injury limits the options, which is why Djuric and Cutrone are more likely to be used as substitutes than as regular starters, especially since Benedyczak scored in Pisa.
Lazio Rome Form & Record Check
Lazio Rome travels to the 15th matchday in tenth place with 19 points, a position that is below expectations after previous seasons. The goal difference of plus 5 describes a team that concedes little defensively but too rarely decides its games early on. The table is tight, with only one point separating Lazio from Cremonese above and Udinese below, so any result could immediately change the situation.
In their last five games in all competitions, Lazio have recorded two wins, one draw, and two defeats. The 1-0 win against Milan in the Coppa Italia was mature and controlled, almost a performance that does not match their current league position. In Serie A, there was a 2-0 win against Lecce and a 1-1 draw at home against Bologna, while away defeats at Inter and Milan exposed their continued weakness on the road and lack of a reliable goal threat.
The statistics also point in the same direction. All five of Lazio’s last games have ended with under 2.5 goals, and every second half has remained under 1.5 goals, with four very cautious first halves. Sarri has clearly tightened up the structure, but at the same time he admits that there is a lack of consistency in the final third, evident in goalless performances in two of the last four league games and in the recurring problems of turning pressure into real impact.
Personnel issues reinforce this impression. Isaksen, who gave Lazio the lead against Bologna, is out for the next few games with an adductor injury. Rovella is expected to be out until early January with a pubic bone problem, and Gigot, who has been out with a long-term injury, is also likely to be out for longer. Added to this is Gila’s suspension, which means that Patric will have to take on even more responsibility in central defense, at least this weekend. Sarri has therefore openly called for reinforcements in the January transfer window.
Lazio Rome are likely to stick with their usual 4-3-3 formation in this Serie A match. In our predicted starting lineup, Provedel is in goal, with a back four of Marusic, Patric, Romagnoli, and Tavares in front of him. In midfield, Cataldi would cover the center between Guendouzi and Vecino, while Noslin and Zaccagni would support center forward Castellanos in attack.
Defensively, our projection is heavily influenced by Gila’s suspension after his red card against Bologna, which is why Patric moves into central defense alongside Romagnoli, while the long-term injured Gigot remains sidelined. In midfield, Lazio will continue to be without Rovella and Isaksen on the wing, which limits their rotation options. This remains a projected lineup, but Sarri could still call on Basic, Dele-Bashiru, Pedro, or Cancellieri depending on the game plan.
Parma – Lazio Rome Head-to-Head Comparison & Statistics
In the last five meetings, Lazio Rome has narrowly come out on top with three wins, Parma won one game, and there was one draw. The rivalry was clearly in favor of the Romans in 2021, but later the picture shifted. In 2024, Parma struck back with a 3-1 home win, and the most recent duel in April 2025 in Rome ended 2-2, making the duel appear much more balanced.
In chronological order, Lazio won all three encounters in 2021, twice in Serie A and once in the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia, where they knocked Parma out of the cup with a 2-1 victory. This series of three wins initially made Lazio the clear favorites, before Parma’s home win in 2024 and the draw in 2025 rewrote history.
The goal patterns are striking. In each of the five games, fewer than two goals were scored before the break, so the games usually started cautiously. After the break, the game typically opened up, with Lazio scoring in the second half in all five encounters and Parma conceding a goal after the break each time, which is why only one of these games ended 1-0.
The total number of goals remained mostly moderate. In four of the five matches, at least two goals were scored, but only Parma’s 3-1 win in 2024 and the 2-2 draw in April 2025 saw four goals. One might think that both teams are consciously managing the risk and focusing more on the result late in the game, which keeps the scores competitive without degenerating into goal fests.
Looking ahead to the match in December 2025, Parma can draw confidence from the fact that they have picked up four points in the last two league games between these two sides, while Lazio can rely on a record of three wins in five games. Once again, the management of the second half could be decisive, as history shows that Lazio often finds solutions to create decisive chances.
