Fisayo Dele-Bashiru was once again an unused substitute for Lazio as they fought back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw against Parma in their Serie A clash on Monday.
It marked the third consecutive match in which the 24-year-old Nigerian midfielder has remained on the bench, with his last appearance coming during the Rome derby against AS Roma on April 13.
Despite showing promise earlier in the season, Dele-Bashiru has struggled to cement a consistent role in Lazio’s starting lineup.
So far, he has featured in 19 league games, registering three goals and one assist. His time on the pitch, however, has been limited due in part to injury setbacks and stiff competition in midfield.
In Monday’s match, Lazio were forced to dig deep after Parma took the lead just three minutes in through Jacob Ondrejka, who then doubled the advantage early in the second half.
Veteran forward Pedro stepped up for the home side, scoring twice to rescue a point for the hosts and keep their European hopes alive. Lazio currently sit seventh on the table with 60 points.
Since joining Lazio from Turkish side Hatayspor last summer, the product of the Manchester City Academy has been adjusting to the tactical demands of Italian football.
“My preferred role would be as a box-to-box midfielder, in the number 8 or 10 positions,” he told Sports Boom.
“I like driving the ball, running off the ball. I can attack well and defend well too. As long as I’m 100% fit and I’ve understood everything tactically, we’ll have a very good season together.”
