Immobile makes emotional return to Lazio with Bologna

Bologna striker Ciro Immobile had an emotional evening in his first return to the Stadio Olimpico since leaving Lazio in 2024, visibly moved as he saluted fans, former teammates, and received gifts.

The game kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The striker spent eight years at the club, contributing 207 goals and 55 assists in 340 competitive matches.

His last match here was in May 2024, moving on to Besiktas and then returning to Serie A for Bologna this summer.

Immobile was visibly emotional as he saluted the supporters in the Curva Nord, who had banners and flags celebrating his time at the club.

‘Nobody can prevent the people from saluting their past. Welcome back Ciro, you will always be deep in our souls.’

There were then hugs with all his former teammates and members of staff, before Mattia Zaccagni presented him with a special memento.

It was a framed Number 17 jersey, along with pictures of his first time posing with the Lazio shirt, and when he received the Golden Boot award as top European scorer in 2020.

There was another reason to feel emotional, as the family of former Lazio hero and Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic was also present at the Stadio Olimpico. He died of leukaemia in December 2022, aged just 53.