Lazio End of the Season Awards: The Tops & Flops of a Chaotic 25/26 Campaign
· Yahoo Sports
Over the past few decades, Lazio have unfortunately endured some forgettable campaigns. On the contrary, the 2025/26 season won’t be forgotten any time soon, but for all the wrong reasons.
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From the summer tranfer ban and the mid-season downsizing, to the never-ending injury crises and the scandulous refereeing incidents, through the fan protest, the empty stadium, and the back-and-forth nagging between Claudio Lotito and Maurizio Sarri, who insisted on airing the dirty laundry in public, this was certainly a season like no other (or at least we hope so).
But despite all the negativity, this campaign still had its heroes, those who were willing to defy the circumstances and deliver enchanting moments that temporarily distracted the fans from their persisting misery.
Therefore, it is time to acknowledge some of the club’s finest performers, while also mentioning those who weren’t able to meet the expectations.
Most Improved: Oliver Provstgaard
Last season, Oliver Provstgaard arrived as a young and raw defender, and found himself at the very bottom of Marco Baroni’s pecking order. But after six months of adjustment, the Dane hit the ground running, beginning from the opening round when he filled in for the suspended Alessio Romagnoli.
The 22-year-old hasn’t quite reached the levels of Romagnoli and Mario Gila, but considering his young age, his reliable performances at the back, and his limited number of mistakes, he certainly has the ability to become one of the best centre-backs in the league.
Most Declined: Matias Vecino
At the end of last season, Lazio decided to extend Matias Vecino’s contract. But in hindsight, that would have been the best timing to part ways, even if the club wasn’t allowed to buy a replacement in the summer.
The Uruguayan struggled for fitness, and even when he made it to the pitch, he was a far cry from the dynamic midfielder who played his heart out at various Serie A clubs for more than a decade. The 34-year-old ended up joining Celta Vigo in February after mutually rescinding his Lazio contract.
Best Signing: Kenneth Taylor
This was a head-to-head between Kenneth Taylor and Edoardo Motta. But while the Italian youngster was a shrewd signing for sure, poaching a Netherlands international and a key Ajax player in the middle of the season was a brilliant coup from Fabiani.
The Dutchman’s full debut ensued just days following his arrival in Rome, and he never looked back, cementing himself as an omnipresent figure in Sarri’s midfield for the rest of the season.
Worst Signing: Petar Ratkov
At €13 million, we might one day look back on this acquisition as a true bargain, as the young bomber still has time on his side. But unfortunately for Ratkov, his arrival encapsulated everything that is wrong at the club, including the lack of communication between the hierarchy and the manager who claimed he had never heard about the player before, while Lotito responded by telling Sarri to focus on the coaching and leave the recruiting for him and the club’s directors.
The Serbian was thus stuck in the power struggle at Formello, and he paid the price by spending the second half of the campaign on the bench.
Best Individual Performance: Edoardo Motta vs Atalanta (Coppa Italia)
When an unsung Serie B goalkeeper joined Lazio in January, no one had imagined he would be the ultimate hero who would guide the club to the Coppa Italia final. With Ivan Provedel out with a season-ending injury, the young Motta had to step up, and it was instantly obvious that the custodian is destined for great things.
Motta’s credentials were confirmed in his surreal display in Bergamo. His exceptional saves kept the Biancocelesti in the game, setting up penalty shootouts, where he incredibly saved four out of Atalanta’s five attempts.
Worst Performance: Nuno Tavares vs Bologna (Serie A)
Nuno Tavares certainly improved as the season progressed, but during the first half of the campaign, he was a complete liability at the back. The Portuguese left-back’s costly blunder gifted Roma the Derby della Capitale in September, but his struggles were even more evident against Bologna in December, when Sarri decided to haul him off at half-time after failing to contain Nadir Zortea and Riccardo Orsolini.
Afterwards, the 26-year-old was dropped to the bench on nine straight occasions, before eventually retaining his place in the lineup after working on his overall game, especially the defensive phase.
Best Moment: Tijjani Noslin’s Late Winner vs Parma
With the team down to nine men, most Lazio fans would have gladly accepted a draw. However, Tijjani Noslin didn’t seem to know or care about the live odds, but instead marched forward in search of a late winner that stunned the Ennio Tardini, and absolutely delighted the Aquile everywhere.
Worst Moment: The Empty Stadio Olimpico
This wasn’t truly a moment in time, but a recurring sight that became increasingly agonizing with every passing week. It all began in late January, when the organized fan groups invited all the supporters to boycott the club’s home fixtures in a protest against Lotito, accusing him of putting his own interests above the club’s, and urging him to sell.
Aside from the Serie A contest against AC Milan in March and the Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan, Lazio played in a virtually empty stadium for four months.
Best Gesture: Lazio Fans Paying Homage After Final Defeat
Since the Lazio ultras had opted against attending the final two Serie A fixtures against Roma and Pisa, the Coppa Italia final was their last chance to bid Pedro farewell on the pitch.
Despite the disappointing defeat, the departing Spaniard was celebrated by his beloved supporters under the Curva Nord in a show of gratitude for an iconic career that included an extremely rare jump from one side of the River Tiber to the other.
Best Player: Alessio Romagnoli
Truth be told, this category could have been scrapped altogether due to the lack of suitable candidates. While several players delivered decent displays throughout the season, none of them produced a truly stellar campaign. But if he had to choose one, Romagnoli arguably wins it with his consistent and commanding displays at the back, even following the January soap opera and his collapsed transfer to Qatar.
With no player surpassing the five-goal threshold, we can confidently write off the attackers. Taylor would have been a serious candidate had he started the campaign in Rome, and perhaps the same applies to Motta. As for Provedel, he would have also been considered had he remained fit during the second half of the season, while Toma Basic faded following his injury in February.
Romagnoli’s defensive partner, Gila, was certainly his main challenger. On his day, the Spaniard was simply outstanding at the back, but his campaign was blemished by recurring injuries and blunders in the buildup. Therefore, Romagnoli was arguably Lazio’s best player in what could be his farewell campaign.