Lazio will match a Scudetto-winning club record if they beat Cagliari tonight, so rely on Miroslav Klose.
The Biancocelesti ended 2012 in second place and a win this evening would give them 39 points at the half-way stage of the season, the same pace set by Sven Goran Eriksson’s title-winning side in 1999-00.
Ederson and Marius Stankevicius are injured, while Mauro Zarate is frozen out after a row with Coach Vladimir Petkovic.
Tommaso Rocchi joined Inter this week, so Stefano Mauri is now the official captain and starts in midfield.
It’s a special game for Federico Marchetti, who shot to fame in Sardinia and was frozen out for a year in 2010-11 due to a contract dispute.
Cagliari are decimated for this tricky trip, as Davide Astori and Francesco Pisano sit out bans.
Mauricio Pinilla was also ruled out by laryngitis, while Lorenzo Ariaudo has a muscular problem, so the defence is completely revamped.
17-year-old Dario Del Fabro gets the nod at centre-back with Danilo Avelar completing the four, while Victor Ibarbo is chosen to partner Marco Sau.
Lazio: Marchetti; Konko, Dias, Biava, Radu; Ledesma; Mauri, Gonzalez, Hernanes, Lulic; Klose
Cagliari: Agazzi; Perico, Rossettini, Del Fabro, Avelar; Dessena, Conti, Ekdal, Nainggolan; Ibarbo, Sau
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