Three Things We Learned From Lazio vs Juventus: Sarri Given Pleasant Dilemma | OneFootball

On the back of a performance that Max Allegri would be proud of, Lazio earned a hard-fought victory over Juventus, much to the enchantment of the Stadio Olimpico crowds, including a certain Claudio Lotito.

The club president looked so delighted as he pulled off a maestro-meme celebration on Toma Basic’s winner, that you wouldn’t tell that 15 thousand plus were simultaneously protesting his mere presence at the club.

Aside from the ongoing tug-of-war between the hierarchy and the fanbase, this was certainly the Biancocelesti’s happiest occasion in a long while, and it left us with several interesting points to discuss, including the following three.

Toma Basic Symbolizes Current Lazio

Unfortunately for Lazio, their midfield is no longer manned by absolute ballers like Luis Alberto and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. But while these two stars had defined an era, alongside Ciro Immobile and Felipe Anderson, perhaps Toma Basic is the most fitting symbol for this more modest cycle.

Over the past few weeks, the Croatian has proven himself as a true role model, as after being cast aside for more than a year, he presented himself in optimal physical condition, and has now become an irreplaceable player in Maurizio Sarri’s system.

Although he needed a slight deflection to beat Mattia Perin, the midfielder’s return to prominence certainly wasn’t a fluke, but the fruit of sheer desire, determination, hard work, and impeccable professionalism.

Maurizio Sarri, the Perfect Man for this Troublesome Job

Whether Sarri was conned into accepting the Lazio job or not remains uncertain, but one thing is for sure: bringing the manager back was arguably the best decision made by Lotito in years. After all, it’s hard to imagine any other coach weathering this heinous storm the way he did.

As we mentioned last week, the 66-year-old even gave up the playing philosophy he has long been associated with, as he realized he doesn’t have the required personnel to play possession football, and instead uncharacteristically relied on counterattacks.

This approach was once again confirmed when he hosted his former employers, led by the manager who once replaced him at Formello. Unfortunately for Igor Tudor, he completely lost the plot in Turin, and was put out of his misery on Monday, while the old and savvy Sarri continues to prove he’s the linchpin that’s keeping this somewhat dysfunctional club knit together.

Sarri Finally Has Positive Selection Dilemma

Since the start of the season, Sarri has been struggling to put together a starting lineup he’s genuinely convinced in, instead making several choices stemming from necessity. Nevertheless, Gustav Isaksen’s vivid display should finally give him the good sort of headache, at least once Matteo Cancellieri returns from injury.

The Italian winger has been one of the club’s most pleasant surprises this season, as he’s been a devastating force on the right wing. The latter suffered a knock last week, but it coincided with Isaksen’s return to full fitness following a long bout with mononucleosis.

Since the Dane was an absolute menace against the Bianconeri, the manager now finds himself with two excellent wingers vying for a spot on the right flank. With Mattia Zaccagni considered a mainstay on the left side, there’s only room for one, so they may have to share the role until the end of the season, with one of them starting the match, and the other coming in as an impact substitute.

But as they say: The more, the better!