Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has showered praise on his coach, Marco Baroni, and his Biancocelesti teammates. When the Frenchman joined Roma in late August 2023, the general opinion was: “Yes, good player, but with a particular character.” Guendouzi quickly proved the former assessment right while silencing any doubts about his character, showing professionalism both on and off the pitch. Now, 15 months after his arrival in the Italian capital, the “bad boy” reputation that once unfairly tagged him in his early career is a distant memory. Today, Guendouzi is regarded as one of the most vital and accomplished players for the impressive Lazio squad and in Serie A as a whole.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Guendouzi discussed his time in Italy and his goals with Lazio. “I’m very comfortable at Lazio and in the Italian league. I’m satisfied with the choice I made,” he said. “Even though I’ve been here for just over a year, I believe I’ve grown a lot as a player. Your league is second only to the Premier League, and from a tactical point of view, it’s the best there is. This is a very important factor, especially for a midfielder.”
Guendouzi’s impressive performances in Italy have earned him a return to the French national team, a recognition he holds in high regard. “For me, being there is an enormous satisfaction. For every player, playing for their national team is the ultimate, the childhood dream come true,” he explained.
Looking back on Lazio’s unexpected success this season, Guendouzi attributes much of the credit to coach Marco Baroni. “The greatest credit goes to Baroni, no doubt. He’s given us a beautiful and effective style of play where everyone attacks and everyone defends. The coach has been good at involving every player in the squad. He’s given us enthusiasm but also an almost perfect organization.”
When questioned about Lazio’s goals for the season, Guendouzi stayed humble yet optimistic. “First of all, we must keep our feet on the ground because we’re still in the early stages and we have very strong opponents both in Serie A and in Europe. That said, we must continue like this without setting limits. I’d rather not talk about objectives, but I’m honest: I’d like to return to the Champions League, so we have to try to finish in the top four.”
Guendouzi also shared his ambition to secure a trophy with Lazio. “Both in the Europa League and in the Coppa Italia, we can have our say. With Arsenal, I won the FA Cup and lost a Europa League final; they’re fantastic experiences. I’d love, this year or even in the coming years, to win a trophy with Lazio. I’d be thrilled for the fans who follow us everywhere and obviously for the club, too.”
The French midfielder also offered his insights on the different leagues he’s experienced. “In France, the average quality of individual players is high. Every year, new ones come out. In Germany, there’s carefree football because they only think about scoring; the defensive phase is secondary. Serie A is the top league at a tactical level and very balanced. Every match is difficult, even those against teams that come from Serie B. And the Premier is… the Premier, the best there is worldwide, on and off the field. But here in Italy, too, there’s an involvement from the people that is equally beautiful.”
Guendouzi wrapped up the interview with a playful reference to his Italian-sounding first name. “When people point it out to me, I reply that all roads lead to Rome… Evidently, Italy was in my destiny from the beginning.“
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