Quarantined Lazio Striker Could Force Marco Baroni To Change Tactical System | OneFootball

Lazio coach Marco Baroni might have to reconsider his tactical formation while Boulaye Dia is out of action.

Lazio Lose Boulaye Dia to Malaria

The striker was called up for international duty by the Senegalese national team, but tested positive for malaria upon his arrival at his home country. Luckily, the player isn’t showing any worrying symptoms. He has been given the green light to return to Rome where his condition will be closely monitored. Nevertheless, Dia is still expected to isolate himself.

20 Days in Quarantine?

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), the 27-year-old could remain in quarantine for up to 20 days, depending on his condition. This means that Lazio will likely lose his services for the upcoming clashes against Bologna, Ludogorets and Parma. Moreover, he could skip the back-to-back contests against Napoli in the Coppa Italia (December 5th) and Serie A (December 8th).

Major Blow for Lazio

This is a big blow for Baroni who considers Dia as a crucial player to his 4-2-3-1 tactical system. The former Salernitana man usually operates as a second striker (or an attacking midfielder) behind Taty Castellanos, while occasionally covering for the Argentine in the centre-forward role.

Pedro to the Rescue

So with the Senegalese star ruled out of action, the Lazio coach might have to rely on Pedro in the hole if he wishes to maintain his 4-2-3-1 formation. The Spaniard could be the solitary option with Gaetano Castrovilli out with an injury, while Fisayo Dele-Bashiru may have hurt himself on international duty.

Switch to 4-3-3?

The alternative solution would be switching to a 4-3-3 system, which Baroni already tested in Monza. In this case, Nicolo Rovella would operate as a deep-lying playmaker in between Matias Vecino and Matteo Guendouzi