They have undeniably been better in Europe than in the league, not least because improving on their first-place finish in the group stage would have been nearly impossible. Domestically, however, considering their budget and the teams above them in the standings, Lazio’s performance has been nothing short of remarkable, something few would have predicted last summer.
This is an undeniable fact, and the credit goes to Baroni, an underrated yet talented and capable coach. When things like this happen, the manager is usually the one who makes it possible.
Of course, Lazio’s league campaign has had its fair share of heavy defeats, such as the derby loss to Roma and the setback against Inter. However, overall, it has been an exciting run that bodes well for the future.
This past weekend, Lazio secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Monza. Granted, Monza is in a full-blown crisis, rock bottom in the standings, having once again changed coaches (reappointing Alessandro Nesta after the brief Salvatore Bocchetti spell), and at this point, staying in Serie A next season seems almost impossible. But every match tells its own story, and against Monza, Lazio was flawless.
The scoreline speaks for itself: 5-1. A match completely dominated and convincingly won by Baroni’s side, with Pedro once again proving decisive. Despite his age, which should theoretically cause a decline in performance, he continues to defy expectations season after season.
The opening goal came from an unexpected scorer, Adam Marušić, who set the stage for Lazio’s success. Pedro doubled the lead, effectively killing the game and leaving Monza without answers. The third goal came from Taty Castellanos, a player who is finally showcasing the qualities that Lazio saw in him when they signed him. "Taty", that is his nickname, is making a difference. Pedro then struck again for Lazio’s fourth, effectively sealing Bocchetti’s dismissal (as mentioned, Nesta was called again).
Monza attempted to show some fight with an 86th-minute penalty converted by Stefano Sensi, but within two minutes, Lazio restored their four-goal cushion. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, another player who arrived with little fanfare but is now proving his worth, sealed the 5-1 victory, much to Baroni’s satisfaction.
Where Lazio will ultimately end up this season remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Baroni is doing an extraordinary job, and this cannot go unnoticed. The club must now capitalize on this momentum and build its future on the foundations laid this season.