Tag Archives: Vedat Muriqi

Lazio’s summer arrivals failing to make an impact

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Lazio was extremely proactive this past summer as the Biancocelesti looked to make a successful return to the Champions League. The capital-based club added some much-needed depth up front, securing Vedat Muriqi from Fenerbache, while Mohamed Fares made the move from the relegated SPAL.

Simone Inzaghi’s men bolstered their defensive options as well, bringing back Wesley Hoedt from Southampton. Pepe Reina, Gonzalo Escalante, and Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro joined on free transfers while Manchester United’s Andreas Pereira arrived on a loan deal. While Pepe Reina has impressed since making the move, competing with Thomas Strakosha for the number one role, a majority of Lazio’s summer arrivals have failed to hit the ground running.

As a result, Lazio has struggled for consistency in league play and currently sit in eighth place with five defeats already. The Biancocelesti may have punched their ticket into the Round of 16 of the Champions League, but have since been drawn with the reigning champions Bayern Munich. The Bavarian giants have shown no signs of slowing down this season, indicating Lazio’s European adventure may come to an end sooner rather than later.

If Inzaghi’s men want to qualify for Europe’s elite competition two years in a row, they will need to turn it around heading into the new year. A large part of their struggles has boiled down to their new signings’ inability to integrate into the first team.

Muriqi has struggled to adapt to Italian football and has looked off the pace since making the move. The Albanian international is yet to find the back of the net in his 10 appearances thus far, cutting a frustrated figure in the final third. Ciro Immobile, Joaquin Correa, and Felipe Caicedo is a talented offensive core, however, as Lazio looks to compete on three fronts, the Biancocelesti will be hoping Muriqi can put his offensive woes behind him.

Beyond his struggles finding the back of the net, the former Fenerbache man regularly disappears in games and fails to offer an imposing penalty box presence. Lazio will have expected far more from their marquee signing after spending over 20 million euros to bring him in.

Fares is another one of Lazio’s signings that is yet to carve out an important role for himself. The Algerian established himself as one of the Serie A’s two-way wingbacks with SPAL, bombing down the left wing at will. Much like Muriqi, however, the move to Lazio appears to be a step too far for him, failing to reach his former heights.

Adam Marusic has since overtaken him in the starting lineup, with Fares largely featuring off the bench. When the 24-year-old does feature, his end product leaves a lot to be desired, registering just one assist in 13 appearances in all competitions. Fares appeared to be an ideal reinforcement given his comfort in a similar setup but has since failed to assert himself in the nation’s capital.

Andreas Pereira, on the other hand, has impressed when called upon but has rarely featured from the start. The Brazilian has made 14 appearances for Lazio this season with only two of them coming as a starter. Lazio possesses a 27 million euro option to make his move a permanent one, but if Andreas Pereira remains on the outskirts of the first team, it is unlikely the option will be triggered.

Hoedt and Reina are arguably the two exceptions to the rule, with both offering Inzaghi some depth at the back. The Spanish shot-stopper has established himself as Lazio’s number one in the early goings of the season, while Hoedt has slotted in seamlessly in his second stint with the club.

Despite their impressive performances, Lazio’s summer business has largely failed to address their squad’s needs. Fares, Muriqi, and Andreas Pereira all added depth in key positions, but they have all been unable to become crucial pieces to Inzaghi’s setup. As the season wears on, the Italian tactician will be hoping his summer arrivals can turn their fortunes around and demonstrate why Lazio was so eager to bring them in. Otherwise, the Biancocelesti risk missing out on European football altogether.

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Warrior Muriqi ready for battle – but he’s not the Lazio Ibrahimovic

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Out of crisis comes opportunity, so they say. If that’s true, there will be plenty of chances going at Lazio this season.

With just three weeks of the season played, Luiz Felipe, Denis Vavro, Stefan Radu, Bastos, Adam Marusic and Senad Lulic have all suffered injuries, squeezing the Biancocelesti’s limited defensive resources to the limit.

There was hope that the international break would provide a timely healing window, but instead Lazio head back into Serie A action more depleted than ever, with Manuel Lazzari, Gonzalo Escalante and Felipe Caicedo joining the ranks of walking wounded ahead of the trip to Sampdoria. Continue reading →

Success or failure? Lazio’s transfer business reviewed

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“False promises and mediocrity. The transfer market is the usual mess.”

The ‘Lazio Ultras’ group made their feelings quite clear when they hung a banner with these words over a motorway bridge in September.

It reflected a general frustration among the capital club’s fans about a summer transfer window that had promised much but delivered little.

Things did get a little better when three more players arrived before the deadline, but it still did little to convince many fans that Lazio’s issues have been resolved.

FALSE DAWNS AND GAPING HOLES Continue reading →

Lazio reinforcements finally arrive to inject much-needed impetus

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At times on Wednesday evening, it was hard not to feel like you were experiencing extreme déjà vu.

Atalanta raced to a 3-0 halt time lead against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, only for the determined hosts to pull one back and spark hopes of an unlikely comeback.

Is this ringing a bell? That will be because Lazio recovered from three goals down to draw 3-3 in this fixture last season – but there were no heroics this time, as Atalanta struck a fourth to come away with a comfortable win.

Continue reading →

Serie A Injury and Suspension Report – Round Three

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Atalanta: Pierluigi Gollini (PCL tear), Aleksey Miranchuk (thigh strain) and Matteo Pessina (patellar dislocation) will once again be unavailable and the coach raised some concern regarding Cristiano Piccini, who has not been able to practice fully since joining. The fact that they are signing another player in his role does not bode well for his timetable. The team announced that somebody tested positive but did not disclose whom: Mattia Caldara and Rafael Toloi are absent out of the blue. 

Benevento: Federico Barba returned midweek but subbed off in the first half and has been ruled out. Andres Tello (thigh) and Oliver Kragl (neck) are again sidelined. Nicolas Viola (meniscus) might not be back for the first game after the break. Continue reading →

Lazio season preview: Will the Aquile fly again in 2020/21?

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It’s time to go again already? Well yes, and Lazio are actually arriving late to the party.

Simone Inzaghi’s men are back in action on Saturday when they hop across the Mediterranean to Sardinia to take on a Cagliari side led by former Roma boss Eusebio Di Francesco.

Lazio’s delay in getting underway was down to the fact that their week one fixture with Atalanta was postponed by 10 days; La Dea were allowed some extra preparation time due to their late 2019/20 finish on Champions League duties.

Where were we?

Lazio’s 2019/20 campaign was a story of two parts: pre-coronavirus and post-coronavirus. Continue reading →

Lazio adding impressive depth ahead of Champions League return

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Lazio surprised the masses last season with an unlikely title push, but ultimately fell short when it mattered, sliding down to fourth place. In many ways, the Biancocelesti’s lack of depth hurt the side after the restart. Simone Inzaghi’s men played some of the best football in Italy when playing once a week, but will need to adapt quickly as their return to the Champions League approaches.

The capital-based club has wasted no time bolstering their ranks and addressing their needs. Vedat Muriqi has arrived from Fenerbahçe S.K and will offer some crucial depth up front. Ciro Immobile and Joaquin Correa start the season as Inzaghi’s undisputed starters but will benefit from sitting out some games. Felipe Caicedo impressed early on in the year but tailed off towards the tail end of the season while Bobby Adekanye is still young for a bigger role.

At 26 years old, Muriqi offers experienced depth and is a proven goalscorer. The Kosovo international netted 15 goals and 6 assists last season in Super Lig action, indicating he is deadly in front of goal. Beyond his impressive goalscoring repertoire, Muriqi has demonstrated he can play in a two-striker setup and could form a dangerous partnership with either Immobile or Correa. It may have taken Lazio some time to get this deal over the line, but Muriqi’s arrival is a big one.

Other than Muriqi, Lazio has also signed Mohamed Fares from the relegated SPAL. Last season, Jony started most of the Biancocelesti’s games from left wingback and faced no competition from Jordan Lukaku. Fares’s arrival creates competition for the starting role, all-while offering Inzaghi depth off the bench. Fares is an experienced Serie A player and comes at a relatively low price.

SPAL may have disappointed last season, but Fares was regularly a bright spot for the Ferrara-based club and was a constant menace down the left-hand side. As the new season approaches, expect Fares to start off the bench and slowly stake a claim for the starting spot. His signing is yet another one that may go under the radar but could prove to be one of the bargains of the summer.

Gonzalo Escalante has also been added from Eibar and has looked decent in the midfield in the early goings of preseason. A more pressing need for Inzaghi’s men, however, is at centreback. The Biancocelesti have previously been linked with Hellas Verona’s Marash Kumbulla and are reportedly monitoring Torino’s Armando Izzo. 

According to recent reports, Izzo does not fit into Marco Giampaolo’s plans next season, as the former Sampdoria tactician looks to transition I Granata to a back four. In this sense, Izzo would be an ideal signing for Inzaghi’s men and much like Fares, has plenty of Serie A experience in a similar system.

Kumbulla is another player who impressed in a back three this season but may be unrealistic given his price-tag. Inter has recently pulled out of the race for the defender, giving Lazio the opportunity to swoop in. As the new season approaches, Inzaghi will be eager to add another center-back to his side, with Izzo or Kumbulla both representing great options.

It would appear the Biancocelesti are gearing up to compete on all three fronts going into next season, adding impressive depth across the board. With the new season kicking off in just ten days, it remains to be seen if Lazio will add another centre-back, despite the recent links. Inzaghi’s men may not contend for the Scudetto this season, but if last season was anything to go by, underestimate them at your own risk. Lazio has bolstered their roster and will be raring to go upon their Champions League return.

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Breaking down Lazio’s Mercato Needs

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Lazio will be making its highly anticipated return to the Champions League next season and will be eager to hit the ground running in Europe’s elite competition. Simone Inzaghi’s men surprised Italy this season, springing an unlikely title challenge, but ultimately fell short. In many ways, their lack of depth hurt them late and caused the Biancocelesti to drop unnecessary points. With Lazio competing on three fronts next year, Igli Tare and Claudio Lotito will use this summer to retool the side and offer Inzaghi more flexibility.

According to recent reports, Lazio are in the market for another striker. Ciro Immobile and Joaquin Correa formed a deadly duo in the final third this season, but Lazio lacked quality depth when either was out of the lineup. Felipe Caicedo finished the season with nine goals but left a lot to be desired at crucial moments while Bobby Adenkanye failed to break through Inzaghi’s starting eleven.

Lazio have since been linked with former Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral. In recent times, however, Fenerbahce’s Vedat Muriqi has emerged as the favorite up front. The Kosovo international will reportedly join Lazio for 18 million euros and will give Inzaghi some much-needed depth.

Beyond Muriqi, Lazio are closing in on SPAL’s Mohamed Fares for the left wingback role. Jony struggled to make an impact when called upon while Senad Lulic is beginning to slow down out wide. As a result, reinforcements are needed to offer Lazio some width and pace in the wide areas. Jordan Lukaku never got going in Inzaghi’s system and could very well be on his way out this summer. Fares is already familiar with Serie A and was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for SPAL. At eight million euros, Fares could offer Lazio great value, similarly to Manuel Lazzari down the right-hand side.

While Fares and Muriqi offer depth and will largely be used in rotation, Lazio have set their sights on a huge free agent signing. Manchester City’s David Silva is reportedly heavily considering moving to the nation’s capital and joining forces with his compatriot Luis Alberto in the middle of the park. The duo will undoubtedly form one of the league’s most creative midfield units and will thrive supplying Immobile and Correa.

Silva may be approaching 35 years old, but the Spaniard could offer Lazio another season or two at the highest level. Lazio struggled to break sides down towards the tail end of the season and could benefit from Silva’s presence in their lineup. The former Valencia man, however, is currently weighing an offer from Qatar and will give Lazio his final answer shortly. In any case, Silva would be a major coup for Tare and would offer the side a wealth of experience going into the Champions League.

Fares, Muriqi, and Silva would represent a phenomenal summer for Lazio, but if Inzaghi’s men want to take the next step, they arguably need another centreback. Francesco Acerbi, Luis Felipe, and Stefan Radu formed an uncompromising trio at the back this season, but they could benefit from an injection of youth.

The Biancocelesti were previously linked to Hellas Verona’s Marash Kumbulla, but the defender is now Inter bound. In many ways, the Verona man is an ideal profile for Lazio and would have refreshed their rearguard. Beyond Kumbulla, Lazio could inquire about Juventus wantaway Daniele Rugani. The former Empoli man desperately needs a move away and could rekindle his best form away from Juve. In any case, another defender would help reduce Acerbi’s workload significantly and tighten up their back three ahead of Thomas Strakosha.

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