A clash between a Premier League and a Serie A team is set to take at the Bescot Stadium. It’s time to check our pre-season elite friendly odds series, starring our Aston Villa-Lazio prediction, pick, and how-to-watch guide!

Aston Villa made a historic achievement, securing qualification for European football for the first time since 2009-10. They had a mixed start to the season under manager Steven Gerrard, which led to his departure. However, under the guidance of his successor, Unai Emery, and with the impressive rise of striker Ollie Watkins, Villa made a remarkable climb up the table in the second half of the season, finishing 7th and earning a spot in the Europa Conference League.

As for Le Aquile, they had an outstanding season in Italy, finishing second in Serie A, just behind Napoli. Currently, they are in the midst of their pre-season preparations, playing the fifth of their six friendly matches before embarking on a busy season. The club is set to participate in Serie A, the Coppa Italia, the Supercoppa Italiana, and the UEFA Champions League.

Here are the Aston Villa-Lazio soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

Elite Friendly Odds: Aston Villa-Lazio Odds

Aston Villa: -115

Lazio: +260

Draw: +270

Over 2.5 Goals: -160

Under 2.5 Goals: +114

How to Watch Aston Villa vs. Lazio

TV: N/A

Stream: VillaTV, Lazio Style Channel

Time: 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT

*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Aston Villa Can Beat Lazio

Last season, Aston Villa impressively secured a seventh-place finish in the Premier League under the guidance of Unai Emery. They have continued to grow in stature under his leadership.

Before heading to the United States, Aston Villa played out a 1-1 draw with Walsall, an EFL League Two team that ranked 16th last season in their division. During the Premier League Summer Series, Villa displayed mixed results, drawing against Newcastle and Brentford (both 3-3) and securing a 2-0 win over Fulham. The Lions will have to play this game first before heading to the Trofeo Naranja against Valencia CF.

This week, Aston Villa will encounter Lazio for the first time in an official match, which calls for adaptation to a new opponent. However, they have been struggling defensively lately, conceding at least one goal in their last six Premier League matches. Their most recent clean sheet came in a 1-0 victory against Fulham. Despite some defensive concerns, Aston Villa has shown promise during their pre-season tour, remaining unbeaten in all four matches. However, they were held to three draws out of those four games, which highlights the need for improvement.

The signing of winger Moussa Diaby for a club-record fee showcases their ambition to strengthen the squad. The French forward has been an invaluable asset, scoring two goals in his two friendly appearances. Defenders Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa have also impressed by finding the net during the pre-season.

After experimenting with a three-man defense in the match against Brentford, Aston Villa is expected to return to their usual lineup. New recruits Rico Richards, Youri Tielemans, and Pau Torres might feature in Emery's starting lineup, alongside Leon Bailey and either Ollie Watkins or Cameron Archer leading the attack.

Unfortunately, several players, including brothers Aaron and Jacob Ramsey, Bertrand Traore, Alex Moreno, and Jhon Duran, are still nursing injuries and will miss this match. The long injury list also includes Philippe Coutinho, Calum Chambers, Diego Carlos, and goalkeeper Jed Steer. Academy players like Filip Marschall, Tim Iroegbunam, Edward Rowe, Jaden Philogene, Kadan Young, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, and Viljami Sinisalo might also get some minutes in the game.

Why Lazio Can Beat Aston Villa

Lazio had a remarkable season, finishing in second place in the Serie A standings. They have shown significant improvement over the past year. Last season, the Eagles demonstrated their defensive prowess, conceding only 30 goals in 38 Serie A matches, second only to Napoli in defensive records.

Under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri, Lazio has become a formidable force, and their pre-season tour has been fruitful. Players like Pedro and Felipe Anderson have been in excellent form, contributing to their goal tally in their 5-0 win against Primorje. Recently, the Albiceleste secured a comfortable 2-0 victory against Bravo. Lazio also got a 16-0 win over Auronzo and a 4-0 victory against Triestina. Eager to continue their success, they aim to replicate that result in the upcoming match.

Lazio is slightly behind Aston Villa in terms of their preparations, as their season starts in late August. So far, they have played only three low-profile friendlies against lower-league Italian sides. The upcoming match will be their first proper test.

Lazio's return to the Champions League this autumn is a significant achievement after three years of absence from the tournament. In their final fixture, they beat Empoli to secure second place in the standings, surpassing teams like Milan, Roma, and Champions League finalists Inter, accumulating a total of 74 points.

Despite their historic achievement in the previous season, Lazio has faced challenges in recruiting new players this summer.  Losing their star midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (who scored 9 goals and provided 8 assists last season) has been a setback. The likes of Francesco Acerbi, Emanuele Cicerelli, and Gonzalo Escalante are also out from the team with their loans made permanent. There are a couple of injury concerns for Lazio, with full-back Adam Marusic potentially missing due to an ankle issue, and Daniel Akpa Akpro also nursing an injury.

In the upcoming match, Lazio's new signing, Valentin Castellanos, might make another appearance, possibly replacing Ciro Immobile, as Sarri sticks to his preferred 4-3-3 formation. The attacking trident might feature Felipe Anderson or Pedro on the right wing, alongside Immobile and Mattia Zaccagni. For now, Matias Vecino and Danilo Cataldi are rotating in the midfield role while the club seeks a replacement.

Final Aston Villa-Lazio Prediction & Pick

Aston Villa will go on a run and impress the English crowd. However, Lazio's recent fixtures showed that they are yet to be defeated and to concede a goal. The latter will not be the case this time, but Lazio can manage to pull a close win.

Final Aston Villa-Lazio Prediction & Pick: Lazio (+260), Over 2.5 goals (-160)