Lazio injuries pile up ahead of Leverkusen

Team News: With the victory over Bologna, Lazio’s captain in Lucas Biglia will be out with a calf injury, which will cost him a month of playing time.

For Ogenyi Onazi, an opportunity to hit another milestone in his young career beckons on Wednesday night when Lazio take on Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg play-off game to reach the lucrative group stages of the Uefa Champions League.

Series History: With Lazio’s win last week, it was the first victory between these teams. There appears little between the teams, setting up for a competitive second leg.

A 2-1 win in their Serie A opener will give Lazio confidence heading into their all important midweek fixture. But his replacement in Keita Balde Diao got the game-winning goal.

The victor of the playoff will progress to the group stages of the Champions League, the draw for which will be held on Thursday.

Klose has also been ruled out of the encounter, as have goalkeeper Federico Marchetti and centre-forward Filip Djordjevic.

The Italians go into the game at the Bay Arena with a 1-0 head start from the first leg last week where Keita scored.

The absence of Biglia has left the biggest hole to fill, though, with Danilo Cataldi and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic believed to be in contention to replace the Argentine. For Bayer, Bayer will be without their new signing in Charles Aranguiz for the entire year with a ruptured Achilles tendon. While former Roma defender Tim Jedvej is also out injured. Although they won at home, the trip to Germany will prove a huge test for Lazio, especially with their injury problems. Lazio will not roll over, but the Germans should have enough to advance through.