Lazio delivered a resounding performance at the Stadio Olimpico, dismantling a struggling Monza side 5-1 in a match that saw Pedro bag a brace, alongside goals from Adam Marusic, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Taty Castellanos, who celebrated his first Serie A home goal since September.
The Aquile, eager to reclaim their spot after slipping to sixth following Fiorentina’s win against Inter, came out firing against a Monza team languishing at the bottom of the table. Despite missing key players like Elseid Hysaj, Matias Vecino, and Patric, and with Luca Pellegrini surprisingly excluded from both the Serie A and Europa League squads, Lazio displayed an attacking prowess that Monza simply couldn’t contain.
The first half saw Lazio knocking on the door, with Samuel Pizzignacco, Monza’s goalkeeper, doing well to deny an early effort from Castellanos. Mattia Zaccagni also came close, heading wide from a Gustav Isaksen cross. However, it was Adam Marusic who finally broke the deadlock, heading home from close range after Castellanos nodded down a Matteo Guendouzi cross.
Lazio continued their dominance after the break, with Pedro doubling the lead after latching onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Castellanos. The Argentinian striker then got on the scoresheet himself, sweeping in a Zaccagni assist to score his first Serie A goal at the Stadio Olimpico since September.
Dele-Bashiru added a fourth before Monza pulled one back through a Stefano Sensi penalty, awarded after a VAR review. However, Lazio quickly restored their four-goal advantage, with Dele-Bashiru smashing a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
While Monza’s Bianco returned from suspension, the team was missing several key players, including Stefano Turati, Samuele Birindelli, Luca Caldirola, Danilo D’Ambrosio, Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro, Gianluca Caprari, Matteo Pessina and Roberto Gagliardini.
The victory sees Lazio climb up the Serie A table, while Monza’s struggles continue. The match highlighted Lazio’s attacking depth and their determination to compete for a European spot, with Castellanos’s performance a particular positive for the Biancocelesti.
Goals: Marusic 31 (L), Pedro 57, 77 (L), Castellanos 63 (L), Sensi pen 86 (M), Dele-Bashiru 88 (L)
Lazio (4-2-3-1): Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares (65′ Lazzari); Guendouzi, Rovella; Isaksen (65′ Dele-Bashiru), Dia (33′ Pedro), Zaccagni (76′ Tchoaouna); Castellanos (76′ Noslin).
Monza (3-4-2-1): Pizzignacco; Izzo, Lekovic, Palacios; Pereira, Urbanski (60′ Sensi), Bianco (78′ Vignato), Martins (31′ Kyriakopulous); Ciurria (60′ Castrovilli), Ganvoula; Mota Carvalho (78′ Zeroli).
