Lazio were repeatedly denied by 37-year-old goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri in a 0-0 draw at Chievo.

Stefano Pioli returned to face his former club, but the Aquile were on a run of two consecutive defeats against Empoli and Juventus. Senad Lulic was suspended with Santiago Gentiletti, Pedro Luis Cavanda, Michael Ciani and Bruno Pereirinha injured, so Stefan Radu moved to centre-back with Stefano Mauri and Filip Djordjevic returning to the starting XI. Chievo were unbeaten in three and counted on ex-Lazio goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri, but had lost the last seven consecutive editions of this fixture at the Bentegodi.

As expected, the visitors had a very aggressive start and desperate defending stopped Djordjevic tapping in an Antonio Candreva low cross from a couple of yards. Mauri knocked a Candreva ball back for the drilled Marco Parolo finish wide, but Zukanovic only prodded a free kick into Federico Marchetti’s arms when springing the offside trap.

Stefan de Vrij almost surprised Bizzarri with an audacious long-range dipper and Nicolas Frey blasted over, but Riccardi Meggiorini at full stretch just failed to get full contact on a smart Valter Birsa assist to the back post.

Parolo flicked another Candreva cross wide and Alessandro Gamberini’s header into the ground from a corner bounced back over the bar. Candreva stung Bizzarri’s gloves from distance.

Chievo were much more determined after the break and made for a more balanced encounter, Mariano Isco almost giving them the lead when hitting the side-netting.

On 71 minutes Mauri had a fantastic opportunity, his scorching half-volley palmed out from under the bar by a flying Bizzarri reaction save.

Keita Balde Diao came off the bench, but his first touch let him down on a smart Felipe Anderson through ball. Keita turned provider for Djordjevic, desperate defending preventing him from getting the tap-in.

In the final minute, De Vrij thought he had given Lazio victory when getting his head to a set play, but Bizzarri palmed it out of the near bottom corner with another crucial save.