Baroni: "I Chose Him (Zaccagni) After Discussing It With The Team. It Was A Deliberate Decision Because We Have Many Leaders. I Wanted Someone Who Represented Both Internally And Externally."

Lazio coach Marco Baroni shared his thoughts on the 3-0 friendly victory against Hansa Rostock and the performance of his team, the Biancoceleste.

Speaking to the official Biancoceleste channel, Baroni said, "These are challenging matches. We had a good test, showing aggression and compactness up front. We're working hard, and in the second half, we scored after switching sides, which we need to do more often. With heavy training loads and the championship starting next week, these matches help us build compactness and team identity."

In the early weeks of training, Baroni remarked, "We have significant room for improvement. The team's commitment has been exceptional. I'm aiming for a dynamic, mobile, and aggressive formation with few fixed points of reference. The team is adapting to this. The key is sharing and understanding, which enhances our performance. Today, we took some risks trying to play out of tight situations. The team must always be brave and never afraid, as taking risks is part of our identity."

Regarding Zaccagni as captain, Baroni explained, "I chose him after discussing it with the team. It was a deliberate decision because we have many leaders. I wanted someone who represented both internally and externally. Zaccagni is in the national team, recently married, and has committed to the club. He has the talent and responsibility to wear the armband. We talked about it, and I trust he will excel in this role."

On the match against Hansa Rostock, Baroni commented, "The atmosphere was fantastic, with a full stadium. Hansa played competitively, which is what we need. Our challenges will increase as we prepare for the important matches. These games help us grow and address our difficulties. We still have friendlies, and I prefer to approach them as crucial matches to ensure we are ready."

Discussing Guendouzi as a midfielder and Dele-Bashiru as an attacking midfielder, Baroni said, "I’m open to all possibilities. I like versatile and strong players. Positional football is outdated; I'm looking for mobility. These players offer that. Dele-Bashiru has potential, though he’s been recovering from a tendon issue and needs more work. He has great physical and technical potential but needs to refine his understanding of our football. He’s shown some promising signs and needs to work on receiving the ball better, but he has the potential to be an important player."