Under the microscope: How signing this Italian forward has proven to be a success story at Lazio

One of the top performers in Serie A 2022-23 to go under the radar is Mattia Zaccagni, who plays for Lazio as a wide midfielder. The Italian international has featured regularly for Maurizio Sarri’s team since 2021 after arriving on loan from Hellas Verona. After a decent first season where he helped the team finish fifth, Lazio signed him on a permanent deal last summer, and he has gone from strength to strength under Sarri’s stewardship. With 12 goal contributions thus far, Mattia Zaccagni ranks joint-highest for goals and assists for the Eagles and is having his best season in Italy. Sarri’s team is currently ranked fourth in the standings, and his contributions have helped the team secure some important results against other teams that are also vying for a top-four finish in Serie A in 2022-23. Below are some stats from the current season to access Zaccagni’s contributions towards his team.

2022/2023 season with Lazio

Mattia Zaccagni has made 21 league appearances this season, starting 20 matches. The winger brings a physical presence on the flank and is good with the ball at his feet. Besides his clinical finishing ability, he can link up play with his crisp passing and ability to hold onto the ball. The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player’s stats compared to other left-wingers in Serie A in 2022–2033. His attacking prowess is highlighted by his high ranking for indicators like goal contribution and dribbles. He has the ability to find accurate passes and also contributes well in defensive transitions by winning aerial duels and contesting defensive duels.

The winger has scored eight goals for Lazio in Serie A 2022-23, with one coming from the penalty spot. He has taken 34 shots thus far and accumulated a total of 4.88 xG. Zaccagni averages 1.8 shots per 90 minutes with an accuracy rate of 48.6%. The shot map shows that most of the attempts came from the left side of the pitch. He can penetrate the six-yard box and has scored most of his goals from very close range. He has kept his attempts on either side of the goal as well as through the centre, showcasing his finishing ability.

2021/2022 season with Lazio

Last season, Mattia Zaccagni made 31 league appearances and started 23 matches. He took 30 shots in total at 0.14 xG per shot and scored six goals as Lazio finished fifth in Serie A. He averaged 1.26 shots per match and had a lower accuracy rate of 35.5%. The pizza chart above provides an overview of his performances last season. He was contributing more in the build-up phase, as highlighted by a better rank in terms of dribbles per 90 and the passing indicators. This season, his output in the attacking and defensive departments has increased, and his goal contributions have helped Lazio retain a top-four spot thus far.

Creative attributes

In addition to finding the back of the net himself, the Italian winger has the mindset to create scoring opportunities for others. The above viz shows the shot assists delivered by Zaccagni in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons combined. This season he has provided four assists, and last season it was five assists. It can be observed that most of the passes are directed into the penalty box, while the others have been a few cutbacks that the player has made when he is in the final third. Zaccagni has also been assigned to corner duty at times, and he delivers them with decent accuracy. Last season he averaged 1.18 shot assists per 90, and this season the average currently stands at 0.92.

As a winger, one of Zaccagni’s responsibilities is to stretch the opposition to create spaces for his teammates to attack. He advances with the ball into dangerous areas by performing successful dribbles and making progressive runs in the final and middle thirds. On average, he attempts 6.68 dribbles per match (a 66.2% success rate) along with 3.13 progressive runs. He also does well at delivering lots of crosses into the penalty box (2.11 per match), but his accuracy of 12.2% can be improved. By performing these attacking actions, the 27-year-old creates chances for others as well as getting into scoring positions himself.

Defensive contribution