Baroni explains Lazio choices to trouble Juventus | OneFootball

Marco Baroni explains his Lazio choices against Juventus this evening, picking Fisayo Dele-Bashiru as a trequartista in this head-to-head for fourth place. ‘The Champions League is a huge target.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT, 18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The fight for the top four is extraordinarily tight going into the final three rounds of the campaign, because Juventus, Lazio and Roma are all pinned together on 63 points, followed by Bologna on 62, then Fiorentina and Milan not far behind either.

Baroni had been expected to start Boulaye Dia in support of Taty Castellanos, but has instead opted for Dele-Bashiru as a trequartista.

Dele-Bashiru rogue role for Lazio

ROME, ITALY – APRIL 13: Fisayo Dele-Bashiru of SS Lazio in action during the Serie A match between Lazio and Roma at Stadio Olimpico on April 13, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

“Dele-Bashiru has been training regularly with us, we need to make the most of his pace and physicality, it is part of the game plan and we are well aware that there are options off the bench to give us attacking power while remaining balanced,” Baroni told DAZN.

“These are games the team deserved to play, because when you reach this level, it means you earned it. Now they must give everything they’ve got to push us over the top.”

Lazio players stand up for Baroni

ROME, ITALY – APRIL 17: Marco Baroni, Head Coach of Lazio, embraces Nuno Tavares of Lazio as he leaves the field after picking up an injury during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between S.S. Lazio and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio Olimpico on April 17, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Mattia Zaccagni commented this week that he did not understand people who criticised Baroni’s work this season, considering they reached the Europa League quarter-final and are still in the fight for fourth place in Serie A.

“The Champions League is a huge target, but I am above all proud of these lads, who have worked so hard since the start, going through many changes and never doubting the work we’re doing. When you have all those elements in place, you can step on the accelerator and speed up the process,” replied the coach.

Has he planned any additional tactical tweaks to face Juventus and Igor Tudor, the coach who had this job on the Biancocelesti bench before he took over last summer?

“There will clearly be a few things we prepared. The most important thing in these games is to play with intensity, both physical and mental. Juventus have an incredible squad, we know what to expect from them and what we can do to counter them,” concluded Baroni.