🌡 Hot Take: Neither Juventus or Inter will win the Scudetto | OneFootball

All season long in Italy, we’ve heard about the two-way title race that is going down to the wire.

This is Serie A’s most competitive title race at this stage of a season since 2001/02 when Juventus were top with 47 points after 23 games and Inter and Roma were both just one point behind.

Almost 20 years on, the pink pages have been splashed with talk of another blockbuster battle between two of Italy’s greatest names as Juve and Inter lock horns.

Will Maurizio Sarri manage to finally end his wait for a league title? Or can Antonio Conte pip his former club to the post and become an instant hero at San Siro?

The answer to both those questions is no.

While the majority of the focus this season has been reserved for the peninsula’s two most successful clubs in terms of league titles (Milan are level with Inter on 18), it is a club from the capital who are doing sensational work under the radar.

We are referring to Lazio, a side who have won just two Scudetti in their history – the last of which came two decades ago thanks to being bankrolled by wealthy tycoon Sergio Cragnotti for what was a successful, if short-lived and turbulent ride.

But 20 years on, we’re backing them to end their wait by catching the two big boys cold and bringing the title south for the first time since Roma’s victory in 2001.

Despite their lofty league positions, Juve and Inter are vulnerable and their weaknesses have been on display more than ever since the turn of the year, while Lazio are only getting better.

The reigning champions still haven’t quite adjusted to Sarriball and Cristiano Ronaldo’s colleagues simply aren’t reaching the standards that he is setting.

Key players in big positions have gone off the boil, looking at you in particular Leonardo Bonucci and Miralem Pjanić, and they aren’t the same fearful force that has terrorised Italy for the past eight years.

There is something missing this year and unless swift improvements aren made, that something missing will be the golden trophy that takes pride of place in their cabinet.

Inter have obviously been elevated to another level under Antonio Conte and have lost just once but in their last nine games, they’ve drawn five and further inconsistency could prove fatal.

While their starting XI could be considered the best in the country, their back-ups just aren’t on the same level and ultimately, it may be that lack of depth that does the most damage to the Beneamata.

It may be inconsistency that does for Inter but that’s not a problem Lazio are going to have.

When unfancied sides reach this stage of a season still in with a shot at glory, they are expected to fall at the final hurdle but this side are charging towards the winning post.

The Aquile are soaring and have shown no signs of relenting in their pursuit, going unbeaten for 18 league games (and counting). That, by the way, is an all-time club record.

With unstoppable form like that, how can anyone honestly say they don’t have it in them to go on and lift the Scudetto? Particularly when they don’t have European commitments to focus on, unlike their northern cousins.

Still not convinced? Don’t underestimate the fact that Lazio have already beaten Juve twice this season, with one of those wins being good enough to see them lift silverware for it in the Supercoppa Italiana.

They are also finding a way to grind out the tougher games, as they showed against Parma recently and a tired old cliché would suggest that such showings are the hallmark of champions.

In Ciro Immobile, they have the league’s deadliest marksman and a player who literally guarantees a goal every game (in fact his average is better than a goal every 90 minutes).

At the back, they may have the division’s best defender too in Francesco Acerbi, while Luis Alberto knits it all together in between and may be the most underrated player anywhere in Europe.

And on the bench, they have a man who simply doesn’t get enough credit. After a playing career as Filippo’s brother, Simone Inzaghi has finally stepped out of his brother’s shadow in the dugout.

He has done so just in time to help Lazio step out of the shadow of Italy’s big boys and shock them all.