Lazio, Taty Castellanos misses Baroni: there is a glaring fact that leaves no escape
Lazio, quanto manca Castellanos: il dato che getta nello sconforto Baroni – SerieAnews
Lazio is having a good time in the league: Marco Baroni’s team is currently in fifth place, in the midst of the fight for a Champions League spot. Although the draw against Udinese put the brakes on their chase for solo fourth place, the Biancocelesti continue to hold their heads high and are ready to fight for one of the positions that are worth access to Europe’s top competition.
The team has shown a solid defense and a midfield that function well. However, behind this apparent serenity lies a concern that is beginning to be felt more and more: the lack of a striker capable of scoring consistently.
La Lazio, una cooperativa del gol
Despite the lack of a pure goleador, Lazio has so far confirmed itself as a true “goal cooperative.” As evidenced by the numbers, as many as 15 different scorers have contributed to the team’s haul in this Serie A. From defense to offense, Baroni’s collective play is paying off.
La Lazio, una cooperativa del gol (Ansa Foto) – SerieAnews
In these first weeks of 2025, Lazio has found in various performers the ability to go to the net, an element that has allowed it to remain competitive despite some fluctuating performances. Not only defenders, but also midfielders and forwards have found their way to goal, with decisive contributions from Zaccagni, Isaksen, Pedro, Romagnoli, and, more recently, other men from the defense.
The strength of this Lazio certainly lies in the ability to share offensive responsibilities. Every match is an occasion in which each one’s contribution becomes crucial. To be fair, however, this “goal cooperative” has started to show cracks in the last few games, especially after the injury of a key player: Castellanos.
Il vero problema: senza Castellanos, gli attaccanti non segnano
While collective play is certainly a strength of Lazio, the reality is that the team is clearly suffering from the absence of Castellanos. The Argentine striker, who had established himself as a point of reference in the biancoceleste offensive department, was forced to stop due to injury during the game against Napoli, and his absence has directly affected the team’s offensive performance.
Il vero problema: senza Castellanos, gli attaccanti non segnano (Ansa Foto) – SerieANews
Despite good collective play, Lazio has shown a deficiency in goals scored by its center forward. The numbers are merciless: in the last six games, only one goal has been scored by a striker, and that was a goal by Dia against Napoli, who moreover is not even the pure center forward in Baroni’s 4-2-3-1.
In these six matches, in fact, it has been Zaccagni, Isaksen, Pedro, and Romagnoli who have punched the clock, but not the center forwards. This figure highlights how Castellanos’ absence is being felt. The numbers do not lie: in Lazio’s last seven goals, only one has come from the center forward. The others have come from insertions by the trequartisti or forays from the outside.
Baroni’s team has always found a way to score thanks to everyone’s contribution, but the main problem is that, without Castellanos, the offensive department seems to be unable to carry the weight of scoring. The other players who have been tried out as center forwards, such as Noslin and Tchaouna, have also failed to make the desired contribution.
Castellanos, il ritorno è sempre più vicino
The situation is even more serious when one considers that before Castellanos’ injury, only Dia had managed to score as a central forward (against Como). This highlighted the difficulty of the Biancocelesti forwards in finding the way to goal consistently.
Fortunately, Castellanos is on his way back. His return could already be imminent, with the possibility that the Argentine striker could take the field as early as the next game against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. Castellanos’ return is therefore good news for Baroni, but the reality is that the biancoceleste coach will have to work on finding alternative solutions to improve the team’s scoring ability.
In a league where every point is crucial to maintain Champions League position, there is no time to lose: Lazio will have to learn to do without Castellanos and find the right balance in attack.
Ultimately, Lazio is in the running for the Champions League, but needs to resolve the offensive issue as soon as possible. Castellanos’ absence has exposed a weakness in the team that, if not addressed, could jeopardize the European dream. The hope is that with the return of Castellanos, but also with improved collective offensive play, Lazio can return to scoring with greater regularity and materialize its ultimate goal.
This article Lazio, how much Castellanos misses: data that throws Baroni into despondency appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
