Lazio vs Juventus preview - Marchisio ready for hostile welcome

Serie A leaders Juventus head to fifth-placed Lazio on Saturday night with midfielder Claudio Marchisio wary of a hostile welcome and the repercussions of the international break.

Juventus hold a three-point lead over second-placed Roma and thrashed Parma 7-0 last time out with Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Morata all scoring twice to underline their credentials for a fourth consecutive scudetto.

But Marchisio accepts the the threat posed by a Lazio team at their Stadio Olimpico home, as Stefano Pioli's side are in fine form themselves having lost only one of their last seven Serie A fixtures.

"Is the challenge of the Olimpico a trap? Yes it's true, and then after the international break it's always very difficult, regardless of your opponents," Marchisio told Il Messaggero.

"You never know how to return from international duty.

"It will be a tough away match, Lazio can hurt us. We will find ourselves in a tough environment, against a great team who are tough, competitive, well-trained and are doing very well.

"We aren't just going on a trip, we want the three points."

Juventus were boosted this week by captain Gianluigi Buffon and vice-captain Giorgio Chiellini signing new deals and the Turin giants travel to Rome boasting the best attack and defence in the competition, with 25 goals scored and just four conceded.

Lazio have not beaten Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico since 2004 but the Biancocelesti know victory could take them into the Champions League places and Antonio Candreva will be confident having scored for Italy against Croatia in Euro 2016 qualifying action last week.

"They (Juventus' players) are all quality players," Lazio striker Filip Djordjevic told Sky Sports Italia.

"They are the best in Italy and we are motivated to do well.

"It is a tough game, but we want to win because we are at home."

Juventus hope to have Andrea Pirlo and Angelo Ogbonna back after the pair suffered injuries during the international break, while Kwadwo Asamoah (knee) and Patrice Evra (thigh) also hope to be available.

Romanian defender Stefan Radu is fit again but the only change from the surprise 2-1 defeat to Empoli two weeks ago could see Luis Cavanda making way at the back for Dusan Basta.