Lazio was his new beginning. After multiple seasons spent at Fiorentina, Milan Badelj had once again put himself back into the Italian Serie A after a terrific World Cup run in Russia, but this time in Rome with the biancocelesti jersey.
A starter for La Viola, at Lazio he has been kept sidelined; it is not easy to have someone like Lucas Leiva in the lineup, who plays the same position and has been a warrior for the club since arriving from Liverpool. In addition, Simone Inzaghi has stressed Leiva’s importance to the team on several occasions: with the manager not willing to switch formation, it is either one or the other. In any case, however, the Croatian midfielder had his own say and opinion on his future, and he chose to join Lazio enriching the Eagles’ squad of much-needed experience.
With hard work and sacrifice, one day he could possibly win the role of a starter; at least this is what Nenad Bjelica, Croatian football manager and former player (who currently manages Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia) has declared to the microphones of Radio Blu: “He chose to go to a great team like Lazio, he comes from an amazing World Cup and sooner or later he will become a starter as he was with Fiorentina – he can miss La Viola because he is a very clever player. For my way of playing (formation), a player like him would be essential”.