ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 31: Valentin Castellanos of Lazio celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Hellas Verona FC at Stadio Olimpico on August 31, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Lazio responded to criticism by sweeping Hellas Verona aside 4-0, with an inspired Taty Castellanos providing two assists and a goal.
The pressure was already on Maurizio Sarri after a poor start to the season, losing 2-0 away to Como. Alessio Romagnoli continued the ban left over from last term, with Matias Vecino, Samuel Gigot, Gustav Isaksen and Patric out of action. Verona drew 1-1 at Udinese last week, but missed Tomas Suslov, Nicolas Valentini, Yellu Santiago and new buy Gift Orban.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
It took under three minutes for Lazio to take the lead, as Taty Castellanos with his back to goal controlled a long ball over the top and laid it off for Matteo Guendouzi to sweep in from just inside the area.
The second goal was another Castellanos assist and an even more sensational one, as the striker completed the give and go with Mattia Zaccagni for an angled drive. The remarkable thing was that Castellanos returned the ball with a rabona – when the back leg crosses behind the front and flicks the ball.
Verona took a while to get going, but eventually did threaten when Adrian Bernede’s splendid control and volley smacked the base of the far post, with Amine Sarr firing the rebound into the arms of Ivan Provedel.
Instead, Lazio added a third when Lorenzo Montipò totally misjudged the Nicolò Rovella free kick and crashed into his own teammates, allowing Castellanos to turn in relatively undisturbed.
It should’ve been 4-0 after the restart, but Matteo Cancellieri fired over one-on-one when a Rovella ball over the top took an awkward bounce.
Castellanos saw his scorcher skim the upright, then Guendouzi had the ball in the net only after Nuno Tavares had wandered offside in the build-up.
Suat Serdar’s effort was charged down and Bernede turned wide, while Luca Pellegrini fired over from a very promising position on Pedro’s assist.
The fourth goal was created by two substitutes, as Rade Belahyane ran down the left and pulled back from the by-line for the simple Boulaye Dia tap-in.
Lazio 4-0 Verona
Guendouzi 3 (L), Zaccagni 10 (L), Castellanos 41 (L), Dia 82 (L)
94
77
86′ 34
17
66′ 25
7
78′ 8
6
22
10
66′ 11
78′ 1
12
23
46′ 70
46′ 5
15
21
46′ 24
70′ 8
9
78′ 17
26
32
29
55
35
14
9
66′ 3
66′ 19
78′ 21
78′ 23
86′ 20
34
36
94
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2
19
90
37
46′ 3
46′ 73
46′ 7
70′ 25
78′
