Following a great campaign last season, Lazio hope they can continue to build on that success and this season finish at least one spot higher, if they fail to win the Scudetto.

This pre-season the team for the most part has stayed the same with the exception of a few minor changes. After last season’s finish, the club could only hope they are able to improve.

Last Season

Lazio have seen a steady increase year after year with their performances and where they finish in the standings, but last season was quite the improvement from the year before.

They were one of the surprises last season finishing in the top five just one season after finishing ninth in the league. After brining in some top talent, the team really came together and meshed well. They finished the season in third place, just one point behind rivals Roma.

After the summer transfers, the team jumped out to a bit of a disappointing start to the dismay of many fans and the organization. Only for things to turn around over a six-game span, and the team never looked back.

The club had a successful year being that they were able to reach the Coppa Italia final only to lose in 120 minutes, all the way to the end of the season which saw them win their final game of the season and finish third. 

Continuing success

Lazio are no doubt hoping to continue their success from last season; whether it is proving it was not a fluke finishing in the top 3, or making a run for the title. 

It came down to the wire for Lazio when it came to making Champions League. In fact, it took a victory on the final day of the Serie A season against Napoli to secure the spot. Lazio have a good chance of at least experiencing what the rest of Europe is like, but they have the ability to turn some heads in the competition.

The Champions League draw was released Friday morning and Lazio have been dealt Bayer Leverkusen as their Champions League playoff round opponent. Leverkusen will be a tough opponent having been in this position before but if all goes well, we could see Lazio later on in group stages.

This upcoming Serie A season will be a real test for the club. This offseason they didn’t make ground breaking signings like last season, but instead just wanted to keep majority of the group together and just add smaller pieces to it. It is a good strategy, but with the two teams ahead of them making big moves this offseason, it will not be an easy task keeping up.

Manager Magic

Last season was Stefano Pioli's first season at the helm and he did quite the job. The team finished drastically better than the ninth place finish just one season before and on top of it all qualified for Champions League.

He was a different voice and opinion in the dressing room, which sometimes is all a team needs. He received the support from the transfer signings which made the team much better, but the system he put in place was obviously a successful one.

His system included both veteran players and youth and he was able to get the most out of both last season.

The Aquile hope to continue their success this season, and instead of just finishing one point behind Roma, Pioli will attempt to get all out of his men to get in front of their rivals and stay within the top three in Serie A.

Transfers

In:

Midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Genk

Forward Ricardo Kishna from Ajax Amsterdam

Defender Dusan Basta from Udinese

Defender Mauricio from Sporting Lisbon

Defender Patric from Barcelona B

Midfielder Ravel Morrison on a free transfer

Defender Wesley Hoedt from AZ Alkmaar

Defender Riccardo Serpieri from Cosenza

Out:

Defender Diego Novaretti released

Defender Luis Pedro Cavanda to Trabzonspor

Midfielder Ederson to Flamengo

Defender Mickael Ciani to Sporting

Defender Bruno Pereirinha to Atletico PR

For the most part, the moves made were mostly getting rid of some older players and, in exchange, bringing in some youth. There were also a few moves which Lazio had the player on loan last season and fully purchased them for this season. An example of this is Dusan Basta. Basta spent last season with Lazio on loan from Udinese but Lazio decided to fully purchase him after his loan was over.

The moves were understandable, bringing in youth is always a positive when balancing out a roster. No real big moves were expected this season after the spending spree the team went on last summer. The idea of small moves is great especially after last season. At this point Lazio should be focusing on keeping that chemistry and adding bits and pieces instead of rocking the lineup with a big change.

Beginning of the campaign

The clubs beginning of the season gives them a great opportunity to jump out to a top spot.

Here is Lazios first six Serie A matches this season:

Lazio v Bologna

Chievo v Lazio

Lazio v Udinese

Napoli v Lazio

Lazio v Genoa

Verona v Lazio

Only three of Lazio’s first six matches finished in the Serie A top 10 last season. Their first real test will come against Napoli, who are expected to be a tough opponent after a fifth place finish last season. Lazio did finish in front of all six of their opponents and there is no reason as to why they should come away with at minimum three victories.  

Derby Days

There is no questioning who Lazio’s biggest rivals are. They just so happen to share the Stadio Olimpico and each year battle it out. Roma finished just a single point ahead of Lazio last season.

This season the teams meet twice in the Serie A season. This doesn’t include the Coppa Italia or any other competition which the two sides can very well meet. The two dates to save for this rivalry are November 8 and April 3.

With Lazio being a competitive side, expect things to get heated between the two sides this season. It will be a battle to finish ahead of each other.

Most Important Player

Last season it was the youngster Felipe Anderson who stood out for Lazio. The 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder really enjoyed a great season and the club is really leaning on him to continue to improve and become a big time player in Serie A.

By April, the youngster had played 27 games in all competitions and tallied 10 goals and 9 assists.

The attacking midfielder is important to the club because of his style of play and his versatility. He has the ability to play either up top or in the midfield and can change the game rather quickly. His combination of ball control, speed, and ability to strike effectively with both feet is a dangerous weapon to have. At just 22-years of age, he has the ability to grow into one of the top midfielders, but for now remains as one of the most important players for this Roma side.

Statement year

This season will be a big one for Lazio. It will answer many questions as to who they really are or what they could possibly do. With a Champions League appearance it makes the club look great but that means nothing unless the team plays up to their full potential.

The club will be leaning on all of their top players to continue the success from the year before starting at the back with their goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, to midfielders Felipe Anderson and Antonio Candreva, all the way up to German international legend Miroslav Klose and Filip Dordevic.

Lazio should compete and no doubt finish in the top five in Serie A. Expect them to go far in the Coppa Italia once again, the real test will come in Champions League.

Lazio are one of the teams to keep a close eye on this season. They could either make a push and succeed, or flop and fail to meet expectations. Regardless they will be a fun team to watch and wouldn’t expect them to not meet expectations.

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About the author
Eugenio Garro
Eugenio (Jay) Garro is a Toronto-based sports journalist, who writes about a variety of major league sports, including (but not limited to): hockey (NHL), baseball (MLB), football (NFL) and basketball (NBA) For those who wish to follow his work, receive sports updates, and take part in sports-related discussions, you can follow him on Twitter @jayGarro_