Lazio End of the Season Awards: The Tops & Flops of an Eventful 24/25 Campaign | OneFootball

Unfortunately for Lazio, the 2024/25 campaign began with so much excitement, but eventually yielded little to nothing. It was a season when Marco Baroni’s men promised their supporters the moon, only to crash and burn in a tragic fashion.

So now that the post-season managerial drama has unfolded, it is time to look back on a disappointing, yet eventful 2024/25 season, while identifying the best and worst performers, while also recalling some enchanting moments we’ll carry for years to come, as well as others that we can only wish to forget.

Most Improved: Nicolo Rovella

After learning the ropes in his first season at Formello, Nicolo Rovella took his game to a whole new level this season, cementing himself as one of the best deep-lying playmakers in Serie A, while forging an excellent partnership with Matteo Guendouzi.

In addition to his influential displays on the pitch, the Italian also emerged as a new fan favorite at the Olimpico, especially after declaring his eternal love for Lazio.

Most Declined: Ivan Provedel

It took Baroni a while to muster the necessary courage to drop Ivan Provedel in favor of the younger Christos Mandas, and many supporters feel they could have avoided further damage by making an earlier decision.

The 31-year-old might find a new lease of life with his old ally, Maurizio Sarri, but he must first halt his concerning decline.

Best Signing: Nuno Tavares

Despite the injury nightmare he endured in the second half of the season, signing Nuno Tavares from Arsenal for circa €6 million is undoubtedly an excellent coup, even if the Gunners still hold a 40% sell-on fee.

While it remains to be seen if the explosive left-back will remain at the club for next season, his exit would yield a significant windfall.

Worst Signing: Gaetano Castrovilli

Perhaps it wasn’t a costly operation since the midfielder was available for free, but it still felt like a random transfer that was unlikely to pay dividends, especially since the former Fiorentina man didn’t have a clear role to play in Baroni’s 4-2-3-1 system.

The injury-prone star only lasted a few months at Formello before joining the struggling Monza on loan. His future remains to be determined.

Best Performance: Napoli vs Lazio

Lazio arguably hit their peak under Baroni when they beat Napoli in back-to-back fixtures back in December. While the 3-1 victory in the Coppa Italia was certainly a splendid outing, many would point out that that fixture was played between two sets of substitutes.

Nevertheless, Antonio Conte’s men had no alibis for being outwitted and outplayed by their Roman visitors on a rainy evening in Naples three days later. Gustav Isaksen’s astonishing strike depicted a brilliant performance from the entire team.

Worst Performance: Bologna vs Lazio

Although it wasn’t the worst result of the season (that ‘honor’ belongs to the 0-6 defeat to Inter Milan), this was probably the most horrendous display from Lazio in recent years, as they got pummeled by five unanswered goals amid a series of shocking defensive blunders from Mario Gila and company.

Best Moment: Gustav Isaksen’s Winner vs Viktoria Plzen

The Aquile had their fair share of late exploits this season, but it is difficult to find a scenario that topples scoring a last-gasp winner while being reduced to nine men.

Isaksen was once again the hero on this occasion, giving the Italian capital side a valuable lead in the double encounter against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League Round of 16.

Worst Moment: Final Whistle vs Lecce

While this was the culmination of several previous disappointments throughout the second half of the season, the final-day defeat was the final nail in the coffin of a depressing campaign, as the crowds at the Olimpico whistled and jeered after realizing that the team had finished the season empty-handed, failing to qualify for any European competition.

Best Gesture: Lazio Fans Supporting the Team vs Inter Milan

The Biancocelesti supporters may have lost their patience by the end of the season, but there was a time when they were much more forgiving, as evidenced by their reaction to a shocking beatdown at the hands of Inter Milan.

Despite watching their side getting dismantled before their very eyes, Lazio’s supporters (particularly those in the Curva Nord) raucously expressed their love for the club by chanting their support until the final whistle and beyond, leaving Marcus Thuram astonished..

Best Player: Pedro

A 37-year-old winger who starts the majority of the matches on the bench seldom finishes the campaign as his club’s top goalscorer. And yet, Pedro’s impact in the second half was enough to see him share the top spot with Taty Castellanos (14 goals for each), and arguably establish himself as the club’s best performer throughout the season.

From the late winner against Milan to the vital braces against Parma and Inter, not to mention the splendid Europa League performances, the outcome of the season would have been considerably worse if it wasn’t for the Spanish veteran and his recurring exploits.