Inter vs Lazio: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction

Reigning champions Inter host Lazio in their first home match of 2022 in Serie A on Sunday evening.

While Maurizio Sarri's Eagles played out a characteristically thrilling 3-3 draw against Empoli to kick off the new year in midweek, Inter travelled to Bologna for a match that never happened.

The Nerazzurri players even took to the pitch to warm up against an opponent they knew would never appear after the Bologna squad was consigned to quarantine by the local health authorities. Yet, Serie A didn't cancel the match, so Inter fulfilled their role ahead of the tortuous legal proceedings that will no doubt take place.

Here's all you need to know about Inter's second attempt to begin 2022.

How to watch Inter vs Lazio on TV/live stream

When is kick off? Sunday 9 January, 19:45 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? San Siro
TV channel/live stream? BT Sport (UK), Paramount+ (US), TLN (Canada)
Highlights? Serie A YouTube Channel
Referee? Luca Pairetto
VAR? TBC

Inter team news

One of the sticking points surrounding the aforementioned cancellation is the availability of Hakan Calhanoglu. The Turkish midfielder was due to serve his one-game suspension against Bologna. If the farce that played out is deemed a postponement, that ban will carry over to Sunday. However, if the powers that be award Inter a 3-0 walkover, Calhanoglu will have served his time.

On less hypothetical footing is the likely absence of Inter's positively tested trio; second-top scorer Edin Dzeko along with the less integral duo of back-up goalkeeper Alex Cordaz and frequent substitute Martin Satriano.

You can read Inter's predicted lineup here.

Lazio team news

Lazio were able to field a near full-strength side as they dropped points against one of Sarri's former employers on Thursday. However, their talismanic defender Francesco Acerbi hobbled off inside the opening half-hour with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

The wonderfully named Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro won't be able to bolster his modest tally of minutes for Lazio after joining up with the Ivory Coast national team for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Inter vs Lazio head-to-head record

Inter and Lazio enjoy an interesting relationship as 'twinned' clubs. When the sides met in March 2019 Inter fans draped a banner across their stand which read: "30 years, indissoluble honour bond."

When both clubs are gunning for the same result this fan friendship is particularly overt - such as when Lazio supporters screamed: "If you win we'll beat you up," at their own players during a match that effectively decided the title for Inter ahead of the other team in Rome, Roma.

Yet, since that Scudetto victory in 2010, only Juventus have beaten Inter more often in Serie A than Lazio (ten).

Inter vs Lazio score prediction

Lazio remain the only Serie A club to defeat their former manager while Simone Inzaghi has led Inter storming up the table this season. Halfway into the campaign the Nerazzurri are five points better off than their title-winning selves at this stage last season under Antonio Conte.

Sarri's side may have scored three times in each of their last three outings but a porous backline undoes a lot of that good work - only the division's bottom four have conceded more goals than Lazio, who ship almost two each game.

Inter, conversely, haven't conceded a Serie A goal since 21 November, more than nine hours of football ago. Lazio may end that particular streak but the Nerazzurri are surely favourites to extend their winning run.

Prediction: Inter 3-1 Lazio