Lazio manager Marco Baroni has explained the reason for substituting Nigerian midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in Sunday’s 2-0 loss in the Rome Derby.
The 23-year old was substituted at half-time and replaced by Boulaye Dia, after a poor first half outing and the 61-year old Italian manager said the change was due to tactical reasons.
Claudio Ranieri’s AS Roma stormed to a two-goal lead in the first half with goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alexis Saelemaekers, as Lazio struggled to control the tempo before half-time.
“The club and director are looking around, but we are also at the same time trying to improve the players we have.
“Dele-Bashiru is still learning the position and how to control the ball between the lines. We are also missing Matias Vecino for a long time, but that must not be an alibi”, Baroni said while speaking to DAZN after the match.
The former Hatayspor midfielder who was making his 10th league appearance of the season, struggled to recreate his impressive performance in his previous outing when he was on the scoresheet against Atalanta.
“As I said, our tactical identity is the most important thing, and I saw that in the second half. We conceded two avoidable goals, it was a pity”, he continued.
“The team lacked the right tempo and wasn’t effective enough down the wings, while we need a player in the trequartista role, and that was lacking in the first half.”
The loss was le Aquile’s sixth league loss of the season and they will have the chance to bounce back when they host Como on Friday.
Shina Oludare is a distinguished sports journalist and managing editor, renowned for his comprehensive coverage of African football. His dedication to elevating African sports on the global stage has earned him widespread respect, along with numerous accolades for his contributions. A graduate of the LaLiga Business School in Madrid, Oludare’s passion for sports and his influential work in African football journalism have established him as a leading figure in the industry.
