Lazio vs AZ Alkmaar

Lazio and AZ Alkmaar are set to trade tackles at the Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of their Europa Conference League round-of-16 tie.

Lazio’s 1-0 aggregate win over CFR Cluj in the Europa Conference League knockout playoff tie kept their dream of emulating Roma’s success from last season and holding the trophy in the Italian capital. Maurizio Sarri’s men have recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins in Serie A in the build-up to this encounter, bolstering their bid to extend a three-game unbeaten run in European knockout stages (W1, D2). Defensively robust, ‘I Bianconcelesti’ have kept a clean sheet in their last five competitive outings, including both legs against Cluj, where they faced just one shot on target. Lazio’s all-time record against Dutch opposition in European football remains perfectly balanced (W3, D2, L3) after the home side on the day won both of their Europa League group stage games against Feyenoord earlier this season.

On the other hand, AZ Alkmaar sidestepped the playoff round after finishing top of Europa Conference League Group E with five wins from six games (L1) to reach the competition’s last-16 for the second season running. However, the Dutch giants have won none of their last nine matches in the European knockout stages (D3, L6) and have suffered elimination in four straight ties since beating Anzhi Makhachkala in the 2013/14 Europa League round of 16. With Pascal Jensen’s side blowing hot and cold across their last three competitive away games (W1, D1, L1), a positive all-time continental record against Italian clubs (W3, D1, L2) could be AZ’s only hope of getting a result in Rome.