Lazio Coach Baroni Has Major Selection Dilemma in Attack Ahead of Decisive UEL Clash | OneFootball

Lazio manager Marco Baroni has a tough decision to make ahead of the second leg against Bodo/Glimt.

A Mountain to Climb for Lazio

The Biancocelesti are currently trailing 0-2 on aggregate following a lousy outing in Norway, where they were impeded by the synthetic pitch and the weather conditions. Therefore, a superb performance will be required this Thursday to mount a comeback at the Stadio Olimpico, while Baroni will have to play his cards right.

Castellanos Set to Start Again

The 61-year-old has already confirmed Taty Castellanos as a starter in his press conference after the Derby della Capitale draw against Roma. The latter made his return from injury as a substitute in the first leg, and then earned more than 60 minutes in the Derby. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen who will start behind the Argentine.

Baroni Eager to Revive Golden Attacking Duo

According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, Baroni is tempted to reunite Castellanos with Boulaye Dia. The two players often played together in attack during the first half of the season, yielding fabulous results. The two attackers started side-by-side in 16 matches, registering 13 wins, one draw and two defeats, thus averaging 2.5 points per game. Lazio also scored 37 goals, or 2.31 per match.

Lazio Less Without Castellanos & Dia

On the contrary, the Aquile’s results are significantly worse when either Dia or Castellanos (or both) is absent from the lineup. In 28 matches without the attacking duo, Lazio recorded 10 victories, nine draws and as many defeats, as the point average drops from 2.5 to 1.29. The goal tally also plummets to 34 goals, averaging 1.21 per match.

Perhaps the absence of the attacking duo doesn’t tell the whole story behind Lazio’s dip in the second half of the season, but it has certainly been a key factor.  However, Baroni will also take into account that Castellanos might not have 90 minutes in his legs, let alone 120 minutes, while Dia is one of the few players capable of replacing him.

The Alternative Plan

Therefore, the manager is also pondering an alternative plan, with Pedro starting as an attacking midfielder behind the Argentine, while Dia comes as a second-half reinforcement. At this stage, the Senegalese is considered the favorite to start, but the Spanish veteran’s inclusion is also a viable option.