Serie A 2017/18: Lazio season preview
Readying for a new Serie A season is never straightforward for Lazio, and this season’s preparations have been spoiled by the uncertainty surrounding the future of Keita Balde Diao.
The Biancocelesti are well used to beginning a new season with questions marks hanging over the side. Last season the club had their plans scuppered when Marcelo Bielsa resigned from his position as coach just two days after his contract in the Eternal City began.
In spite of their off field issues last summer, Lazio went on to be one of Serie A’s biggest surprises in 2016/17, finishing fifth and playing an attractive and effective brand of football under Simone Inzaghi.
Captain Lucas Biglia has left for AC Milan, while Danilo Cataldi has joined newcomers Benevento and Etrit Berisha has made his loan move to Atalanta permanent, meaning they have not lost too many key players in the off season.
With Balde likely to leave before the transfer window closes, however, Lazio will be left scrambling for a replacement with little time to find one.
In an attempt to replace Biglia, Lucas Leiva has arrived from Liverpool and Davide De Gennaro has been brought in on a free transfer from Cagliari. Neither player is of the same calibre of Biglia though, and the Argentine’s absence will be sorely felt at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ciro Immobile was one of Italy’s most deadly forwards last season, and the former Torino man will be hoping to pick up where he left off last season and again challenge for the Capocannoniere crown.
Given how they performed last season when the odds were stacked against them it would be wrong to write off the Acquile, especially given they won each of their seven pre-season matches and have already gotten their hands on the season’s first piece of silverware by beating Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana.
Nonetheless, 2017/18 could be an uphill battle for the Biancocelesti and with both AC Milan and Inter strengthening, they will do well to achieve another fifth place finish this season.
