Italian football pundit Stefano Mattei has questioned Lazio head coach Marco Baroni’s decision to include Nigerian midfielder Dele-Bashiru in the squad to face Venezia.
Dele-Bashiru, who joined Lazio from Hatayspor, has struggled to adapt to Italian football despite showcasing his talent in the UEFA Europa League, where he has scored two goals and provided two assists in six games.
However, the 24-year-old has been unable to replicate the same level of performance in Serie A, registering just three goals in 15 league appearances. Mattei believes this output is insufficient to justify his inclusion in Lazio’s squad for the Venezia clash.
In an interview with Radiosei, Mattei voiced his concerns:
“Lazio is the only team that hasn’t committed a player bought in the January market. They say they are young and that they are investments for the future, but the Champions League is now, not in the future. Now there is talk of Dele-Bashiru in Venice, I don’t understand why, with Rovella on a yellow card, Belahyane can’t play.”
Lazio will take on Venezia in their next league match following a 2-2 draw against Napoli last weekend.
Dele-Bashiru will aim to elevate his performances to secure a spot in the Super Eagles squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.
