“He needed space” – Lazio boss Baroni explains leaving Dele-Bashiru in the dressing room against Fiorentina

Lazio manager Marco Baroni has shed light on his decision to substitute Nigerian midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru at halftime during their 2-1 Serie A defeat to Fiorentina on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico, Soccernet.ng reports.

Dele-Bashiru, making his eighth Serie A start this season, was deployed as a central midfielder alongside former Arsenal star Mattéo Guendouzi in a two-man pivot.

One of Nigeria’s finest stars of 2024, the 23-year-old has shown versatility since joining Lazio on loan from Turkey’s Hatayspor, featuring as a left winger and attacking midfielder in previous games.

Despite Lazio’s dominance early on, defensive lapses saw Fiorentina strike twice within the opening 17 minutes through Lucas Beltrán and Yacine Adli.

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Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Baroni opted to replace Dele-Bashiru with Nicolò Rovella, with the Super Eagles star not returning to the pitch with the team from the dressing room. The substitution sparked speculation, but the Lazio boss clarified his reasoning post-match.

“Dele-Bashiru? The match was difficult, he needed space,” Baroni said via SosFanta.

“More speed in his maneuvers was needed. He did well in the first half, but it wasn’t an ideal match for a player who needed space, and there wasn’t any.”

The second half saw Lazio improve, aided by Adli’s 63rd-minute red card. Adam Marušić’s stoppage-time goal provided a glimmer of hope, but it was too little, too late.

Baroni, however, refused to pin the loss on Dele-Bashiru, instead citing the team’s defensive errors and lack of rhythm.

“Lazio lost because we conceded two easy goals, and when the game goes like this, it’s not easy,” he explained.

“We lacked rhythm at the start, made mistakes, and this penalised us. But I liked the mental energy and determination in the second half.”

The Lazio manager emphasised the need for improvement while praising Dele-Bashiru’s contributions.

“It’s not a midfield problem or about Dele-Bashiru, who is growing and giving us a lot. The whole team was slow in the manoeuvre. We can’t play slow football; we have to improve and raise the level.”

Despite his loan deal from Hatayspor to Lazio including a €5 million option to buy, Dele-Bashiru remains a transfer interest for several Premier League clubs.