Lazio vs Pisa preview: ninth place, no Europe and a relegated visitor

Lazio end their season at the Stadio Olimpico with little left to play for beyond pride. They will finish no higher than ninth, and it has been 12 years since they were this low in the standings. Pisa arrive already relegated after a brutal first season back in Serie A, so the final day is more about the size of the gap between the two clubs than the result itself.

Why Lazio's home form has dragged the season down

The wider problem for Lazio is not just the league table, it is how often the attack has stalled. They have failed to score in 17 league games this season, their worst such record this century. That sits alongside a run of three straight defeats by an aggregate 7-0, which is no way to finish any campaign, even one that had already gone flat.

There is also the matter of the dugout. The hosts could be bidding farewell to their embattled head coach, Maurizio Sarri, and Sports Mole's preview says they will be keen to give him a good send-off. That is a fair read of the mood, but it does not change the underlying numbers, which point to a season that has drifted badly and ended with very little home comfort.

Pisa's return has ended in relegation

Pisa's story is harsher still. They are rooted to 20th place with 18 points after 37 matches, and Sports Mole described them as rock-bottom and never really looking like staying up in their first top-flight season for 34 years. Their last eight games have all ended in defeat, with 20 goals shipped in that run. Since the start of February, they have managed only four points, which is why the relegation has long since stopped being a surprise.

The final-day edge is hard to find here, but the contrast is obvious. Lazio are trying to avoid ending with another limp home performance, while Pisa are simply trying to stop the slide looking any worse. Sports Mole still expects Lazio to see off Pisa, and on the evidence of both teams' recent runs, that feels like the more sensible call.