A New Era for Lazio: Zaccagni Set to Lead the Way | OneFootball

Lazio are in a state of flux heading into the 2024-25 season and one man can be the rallying figure for the new era – Mattia Zaccagni.

The 29-year-old winger became the hero for Italy at the ongoing European Championship, netting a vital equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Croatia to take the Azzurri to the Round of 16 of the tournament, finally giving him his moment in the spotlight with the national team.

Zaccagni has not managed to carve out a regular spot for himself in the Italy squad and a late equaliser might not change that, but regardless his magical moment is a reminder of his class, quality and ability to make the difference when it counts. Make sure to check out the latest odds for the Azzurri matches at online casinos here.

With Lazio now entering a new era under Marco Baroni, having failed to find their best rhythms under Maurizio Sarri and Igor Tudor, the importance of the 29-year-old winger only rises in the squad, especially considering the players around him.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson have all left Lazio. Ciro Immobile is continuing to decline and it’s hard to imagine him being as prolific as he once was in the capital, leading to reflections amongst supporters as to who should be the new central figure to rally behind.

Zaccagni is that figure. Since his arrival at the Biancocelesti back in the summer of 2021, he’s continued to prove himself a dynamic, hard-working and creative forward who doesn’t shy away when the pressures are high, putting himself in the firing line.

The Italian winger has scored 22 goals and provided 19 assists across 117 appearances for Lazio and recently penned a new long-term contract tying him to Lazio until June 2029. Should he stay until then, he’d essentially end his career at the club, being 34 by the time that deal expires.

Zaccagni had to wait to get the chance to prove himself at the highest level, something seen both at club and national level, being stuck with Hellas Verona until he was 26. His Italy debut didn’t come until March 2022 and his first major tournament was Euro 2024, missing the success of the last European Championship.

For the Azzurri, it’s hard to justify leaving Zaccagni out of the starting lineup for the upcoming Round of 16 clash with Switzerland, although the formations tested by Luciano Spalletti do leave him in a tough spot. A return to a 4-3-3, however, could allow him to further enamour himself to a nation.