Four Lazio Players Who Have Disappointed at the Start of the Season

Following a non-existent summer transfer campaign, no Lazio supporter held high hopes for the 2025/26 season. And yet, Maurizio Sarri’s men surely were expected to collect more than three points after four rounds.

The Biancocelesti began their campaign with an abysmal display on the shores of Lake Como, which saw them deservedly lose 0-2 to Cesc Fabregas’ men. The Italian capital side rebounded with an inspiring performance in front of their supporters at the Stadio Olimpico, pummelling Hellas Verona by four unanswered goals.

However, that enchanting outing turned out to be a false dawn, as the team suffered back-to-back 0-1 defeats to Sassuolo, and more importantly, Roma in the Derby della Capitale.

Thus far this season, the majority of the players have been performing below the expected standards, with many of them flying under the radar. This approach could be beneficial for every internet user, which is why most experts encourage users to download a VPN while browsing online. However, footballers are expected to adopt a more proactive attitude.

But while most Aquile players have been putting up bland performances, a few have been particularly underwhelming. So let’s take a closer look at four of the most disappointing Lazio players after the first four matchdays.

Nuno Tavares

At this time last year, Nuno Tavares was the toast of the town at Formello. Sadly, the Portuguese has seemingly fallen off his perch, and it remains to be seen if he’ll ever be able to psychologically recover from his extremely costly Derby howler, especially considering the controversy that followed.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru

Due to the club’s transfer ban, Sarri was forced to come up with internal solutions, and he has been betting on the Nigerian in the left box-to-box midfielder role. But like Marco Baroni before him, the manager hasn’t been able to implore the 24-year-old to fulfil the required tasks. Dele-Bashiru is now set for a spell on the sidelines, so let’s see if his replacement will fare any better. 

Matteo Cancellieri

Not so long ago, Matteo Cancellieri was a mere afterthought at Lazio. However, the winger was the standout performer for Lazio in pre-season, which earned him a starting spot in the first few weeks of the campaign. However, the Italian’s opportunity has come and gone, as his ineffective displays saw him dropped from the lineup ahead of the Derby.

Boulaye Dia

The Senegalese got the nod against Roma, but wasted a sitter in the second half, in an incident that will likely haunt him for quite some time. In the meantime, he will probably be relegated to the bench once more in favor of Taty Castellanos.