AC Milan trying to end two-match losing streak versus Lazio

AC Milan vs Lazio

AC Milan trying to end two-match losing streak versus Lazio
AC Milan will welcome Lazio to the San Siro on Sunday, March 2, 2025, in a Serie A clash where both teams are desperate to halt their winless streaks and secure a first victory in three attempts, making this a pivotal encounter for their respective campaigns. Milan, reeling from consecutive 2-1 defeats to Torino and Bologna, find themselves in a precarious position, their once-imposing home form at the San Siro faltering with just two wins in their last six home matches. Meanwhile, Lazio, who have drawn their last two fixtures against Napoli (2-2) and Venezia (0-0), arrive with a mixed bag of resilience and frustration, having won only one of their last six games against Milan across all competitions. The reverse fixture at the Stadio Olimpico in August set the tone for this rivalry’s competitiveness, ending in a thrilling 2-2 draw. Strahinja Pavlovic gave Milan an early lead, only for Lazio to storm back with quickfire goals from Valentin Castellanos and Boulaye Dia in the 62nd and 66th minutes, respectively. Just as Lazio seemed poised to claim victory, Rafael Leao’s 72nd-minute strike salvaged a point for the Rossoneri, a result that encapsulates the unpredictability of this matchup despite Milan’s historical edge.
Milan’s dominance over Lazio at the San Siro has been a defining feature of this fixture in recent years, with the Rossoneri winning each of their last five home games against the Biancocelesti in Serie A, a streak that includes four consecutive clean sheets and at least two goals scored in each of those matches. This historical trend paints a grim picture for Lazio, who have found the San Siro a fortress they’ve been unable to breach, their lone victory in the last six encounters with Milan across all competitions coming elsewhere. The 2-2 draw in August at the Stadio Olimpico stands as an anomaly against Milan’s home mastery, where Lazio have been consistently outmaneuvered. However, Milan’s current form throws a wrench into these statistics, as their back-to-back losses to Torino and Bologna expose vulnerabilities that Lazio could exploit. At home, Milan have been far from invincible this season, drawing six of their 13 Serie A matches at the San Siro—second only to Juventus’ seven home draws—and losing just once. This propensity for stalemates, coupled with only two wins in their last six home outings, suggests that Lazio might find a chink in Milan’s armor despite the daunting historical precedent.
Lazio’s struggles against Milan, particularly at the San Siro, are well-documented, with their last five visits in Serie A yielding no points, no goals, and a barrage of at least two goals conceded each time—a run that underscores the challenge awaiting them on Sunday. The Biancocelesti’s broader form against Milan is equally troubling, with just one win in their last six meetings across all competitions, a stark contrast to the parity they achieved in the reverse fixture. That 2-2 draw in August showcased Lazio’s potential to hurt Milan, with Castellanos and Dia overturning Pavlovic’s opener before Leao’s late equalizer denied them victory. Now, Lazio arrive on an 11-point haul from their last 18 available in Serie A, buoyed by a two-match drawing streak and an unbeaten run of three straight away games. Their recent 2-2 draw with Napoli and 0-0 bore against Venezia reflect a team capable of grinding out results, if not always dazzling. Castellanos, with nine Serie A goals, leads their attack, and his brace in the reverse fixture signals his threat, but Lazio will need more than individual flair to break their San Siro hoodoo against a Milan side eager to arrest their slide.
Milan’s current malaise could be the wildcard in this encounter, as their back-to-back 2-1 defeats to Torino and Bologna have punctured the aura of invincibility that once surrounded the San Siro. The Rossoneri’s home record this season—six draws, one loss, and only six wins in 13 matches—reveals a team struggling for consistency, a far cry from their five straight home wins over Lazio. Just two victories in their last six home games, with the other four ending in draws, highlight a troubling trend of dropped points that has seen them slip in the Serie A standings. Tijjani Reijnders, with eight goals, has emerged as Milan’s leading scorer, a surprising stat that underscores the underperformance of their traditional forwards. Rafael Leao’s late heroics in the reverse fixture salvaged a point, but Milan’s attack has lacked the ruthlessness that saw them score at least twice in each of their last five home games against Lazio. With Strahinja Pavlovic providing defensive steel and moments of offensive contribution, Milan have the tools to reassert their dominance, but their recent form suggests fragility that Lazio could capitalize on if they seize the moment.
Lazio’s attacking spearhead, Valentin Castellanos, has been a bright spot in an otherwise patchy season, his nine Serie A goals making him a key figure as they prepare to face Milan at the San Siro. His brace in the 2-2 draw against Milan earlier this season demonstrated his ability to punish the Rossoneri, and with Boulaye Dia complementing him in that match, Lazio have shown they can trouble Milan’s defense. However, their broader attacking output has been inconsistent, and their defensive record—conceding at least two goals in each of their last five San Siro visits—offers little reassurance. Lazio’s recent form, with 11 points from 18 and two consecutive draws, points to a team that can hang tough, as seen in their unbeaten streak of three away matches. The 2-2 against Napoli showcased resilience, while the 0-0 with Venezia was a testament to their defensive grit, if not their creativity. Facing a Milan side that has kept four straight home clean sheets against them, Lazio will need Castellanos and company to be at their sharpest to end a drought that has seen them scoreless in their last four San Siro outings across all competitions.
The tale of the tape favors Milan at home, where their five-game winning streak and four consecutive clean sheets against Lazio in Serie A loom large, but current form muddies the waters for this Sunday showdown. Milan’s two straight losses and six home draws this season contrast with their historical dominance, while Lazio’s two draws and three-game unbeaten away run suggest they’re not pushovers. The reverse fixture’s 2-2 result—Pavlovic and Leao for Milan, Castellanos and Dia for Lazio—hints at another tight affair. Milan’s attack, led by Reijnders’ eight goals, has underperformed, while Lazio lean on Castellanos’ nine strikes. The San Siro’s recent trend of stalemates for Milan (four of six) and Lazio’s knack for grinding out results away (three unbeaten) point to a deadlock. Trends like Milan scoring at least twice in their last five home games against Lazio clash with their current struggles, making a 1-1 draw a plausible prediction—a scoreline that reflects both teams’ form and their August stalemate.
This San Siro clash pits Milan’s wounded pride against Lazio’s stubborn resolve, with neither side in top gear but both desperate for a win after two games without one. Milan’s historical edge—five straight home Serie A wins over Lazio, with clean sheets in four and two-plus goals in each—meets a present reality of two losses and six home draws in 13 matches. Lazio’s lone win in six against Milan and their San Siro nightmare (five losses, no goals) are tempered by 11 points from 18 and three unbeaten away games. Castellanos’ nine goals and Reijnders’ eight will be focal points, but Milan’s blunt attack and Lazio’s leaky defense at this venue suggest parity. The 2-2 reverse fixture showed both can score, yet Milan’s recent home draws and Lazio’s draw-heavy form tilt toward caution. A 1-1 draw feels right, balancing Milan’s San Siro pedigree with their current woes and Lazio’s grit against their historical struggles here.