Tiki Taty: How Valentín Castellanos Has Capitalised in the Capital under Marco Baroni
Lazio’s Argentine forward Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos has flourished in the capital for I Biancocelesti, proving himself to be a pivotal piece to Lazio’s system as they look to challenge those at the peak of Serie A. His career kickstarted across South America, with various spells with different teams across the continent, signing with the likes of Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile to Torque in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Castellanos’ first big break came when he moved to the Big Apple, joining MLS side New York City FC on loan, a deal which was then made permanent. The forward managed to make good first impressions, scoring on his debut against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Deemed to have been vitally important during his loan spell, the club decided to keep him on for the next few seasons, where he was front and center of helping New York City FC finish top of the Eastern Conference standings in 2019.
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As the seasons went on, Castellanos saw droughts of consistency in his game but managed to recapture his best form, managing to secure the Golden Boot in the 2020-2021 season, with 19 goals and 8 assists. In that same season, the Argentine led the team to their first MLS Cup triumph, winning on penalties, giving Taty Castellanos his first state of silverware success.
Raptures new, Castellanos joined La Liga side Girona on a season-long loan, with his most memorable moment being his spectacular four-goal display against giants Real Madrid. A player very much known for his creating ability in and around the box as well as his game intelligence when it comes to creating that separation from his defenders.
The Argentine forward managed to put himself in the record books, being the first player in the Spanish top flight to score four goals against Real Madrid since the late 1940s. Castellanos’ time at Girona came to an end, with him finishing the season amassing 13 goals in 35 appearances for the Gironistes.
The summer transfer window came round and certain clubs were in need of a new striker. That’s when Claudio Lotito and all his backroom staff believed it was necessary to pull the trigger and bring in a forward with such untapped potential.
He initially struggled to get a look into the first team under Maurizio Sarri, however a start against Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta saw Castellanos score his first goal for Lazio. With former captain Ciro Immobile at the forefront of the attack, there was close to little space for Castellanos to make an impact in the starting 11.
The season came to an end, with the Argentine finishing his debut season in Italian football only scoring 4 goals. Lazio imminently relieved Maurizio Sarri of his duties as manager of the club, with Marco Baroni, former Hellas Verona manager, filling in the shoes as new Lazio manager.
The Florence-born manager looked to instill Castellanos’ true strengths to his game, as the departure of long-serving captain Immobile to Turkish side Besiktas, saw a growing reliance on Taty Castellanos to be a pivotal part of Baroni’s new system. The new season comes round and births a new look Lazio, with additions to the side such as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Nuno Tavares and Tijjani Noslin, all looking to make a difference for I Biancocelesti.
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Castellanos’ presence in the squad was felt straight away as their first home game of the season against newly promoted Venezia saw Taty get on the scoresheet in an important 3-1 victory. A crucial home game against Paulo Fonseca’s AC Milan saw Castellanos come up with the goods once again, scoring in a 2-2 draw against I Rossoneri. Lazio fans noticed the changes in the Argentine’s game, as Castellanos’ creativity proved dividends in Lazio making more chances in front of goal, alongside his influential play dropping deep into midfield, to allow more options going forward in ball-playing positions.
The Stadio Olimpico hosted Baroni’s former side Hellas Verona, as I Biancocelesti looked to burn out I Gialloblu’s hot start to the campaign. A goal frenzy saw the game seeing 3 goals scored in the first 20 minutes, with Taty Castellanos scoring the crucial goal which saw Lazio take 3 points at home.
Baroni’s men sit just shy of the European places, however totalling the same amount of points as rivals Fiorentina and Atalanta. With the physical presence of Diego Simeone and the attacking prowess of Gabriel Batistuta, Taty Castellanos looks to insert himself as a prolific striker amongst Italian football’s very best.
La voglia di essere il migliore dipende da Taty stesso
By: Lorenzo Gagliotta / @LG24Sports
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Icon Sportswire