Losing your club captain is often a supporter’s worst nightmare, but despite Lucas Biglia heading to big spending AC Milan, Lazio fans need not worry, with his namesake from Premier League side Liverpool set to fill the void.
With the Merseyside club thought to have accepted just €5 million for Lucas Leiva, it certainly looks as though the Biancocelesti have got the better deal in this South American switch.
The Rossoneri shelled out a not insignificant €17 million for a 31-year-old midfielder that shares many attributes with his purported replacement in the capital, although not so much in a goalscoring sense.
Born a year and just 750 miles apart, between the towns of their birth in the south of Brazil and northern Argentina, there is very little to choose between the pair, and there is nothing to fear in the deal from Aquile fans.
As Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi looks to build on the positives from last season, the Brazilian will become not only a leader out on the Stadio Olimpico turf but bring a wealth of experience at the very highest level.
A lack of pace was sometimes cited as the 30-year-old’s main weakness during a decade in England but his positional sense, distribution and ability to sense danger are certainly as good as his South American counterpart. Biglia is hardly the quickest and at an age when speed will fade fast.
Unfortunately for Lucas Leiva, if he had moved to Serie A in 2007, he would probably be as highly regarded as the latest Milan signing. A large majority of Liverpool fans simply did not embrace what he provides a team and he was hampered by the timing of his arrival.
Ten years ago, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso were at the top of their profession in a central midfield partnership the club have been craving ever since. The ex-Gremio starlet did not have the speed and tenacity of Mascherano or the exquisite passing of the Spaniard.
On the peninsula, the role that he will play as a calm and steady deep-lying shield in Rome will be far more appreciated, although, to the credit of those who saw Lucas Leiva week-in-week-out in the flesh, they did recognise his selfless contribution.
During his final minutes in a Liverpool shirt against Middlesbrough last term, Lucas got a send off similar to that given to recent heroes Sami Hyypia, Jamie Carragher and even Steven Gerrard.
There will likely be similar sceptics should he stroll out in a Lazio shirt, though, particularly from those that rarely set foot in the stadium. A lot of what the Brazilian gives a team goes unnoticed, despite the many cameras that flood stadiums.
When the Biancocelesti are on the attack, it will be Lucas directing his defensive teammates – one of the loudest voices to be heard on the pitch – and ensuring that if the ball breaks loose, you do not need the speed of an N’Golo Kante to regain possession.
Some may point to Lucas’ lack of games over recent seasons but consecutive managers were convinced enough to ensure he remained an important part of the squad and that tells a story in itself.
Lazio will get to understand that first-hand next season and witness his ultimate professionalism but should the current Rossoneri experiment not work out, the man who shares the same name could be wishing he remained in Rome.
