Ivan Juric is banking on Varela to lead the line as Monza go to the Olimpico for Lazio Vs Monza, with the forward’s four goals in four appearances giving the visitors a rare source of momentum. Monza beat Sassuolo before the international break, but this afternoon’s trip is about more than one result: they are still chasing their first ever victory against Lazio and trying to put together back-to-back Serie A wins for the first time since March 2024.
Varela gives Monza a focal point
The numbers explain why Juric is leaning on him. Varela has scored four goals in four appearances, and in a Monza side that has not always carried enough threat, that kind of return matters.
Monza opened the season with five goals in their first five Serie A games, so there is at least evidence that the attack can produce when the right pieces are in place. The issue now is whether that form can travel to the Olimpico and stand up against a Lazio side that has often been a difficult opponent for them.
Juric's selection call in attack
One of the key decisions for Juric is how to manage the attacking-midfield roles around Varela. The coach has options in that area, with Pessina, Tourè, Ziolkowski, Cutrone, Robinson, Zeballos, Colpani, Ngonge, Mota and Tornqvist all part of the wider selection conversation, but the central point remains the same: Varela is the one being trusted to finish the moves.
That is a sensible place to start. Monza do not need to overcomplicate the picture here. They need a clear attacking reference, a team that stays connected to him, and enough discipline to make the game close for long enough to create chances of their own.
History still leans toward Lazio
Monza are still looking for their first ever victory against Lazio in Serie A, which adds another layer to the afternoon. In the three-points-for-a-win era, these are the matches that can quietly change a season: not because they define everything, but because they can shape confidence, rhythm and belief.
For Juric, the other target is just as important. He is also trying to secure his first clean sheet of the season, and that tells you where the balance lies. Monza need threat going forward, but they also need enough control without the ball to keep themselves in the contest.
They arrive having won before the international break, yet the longer-term picture still matters. Four defeats and two draws in the recent sequence show how much work there is still to do, and why two consecutive Serie A matches have become such a useful marker for where this team is heading.
If Varela can keep his scoring run alive, Monza will have a chance. If not, the weight of history at the Olimpico may prove hard to shift.
