Ciro Immobile returned to the Olimpico as a guest rather than Lazio’s captain, but the connection with his old home remained clear as he watched the Biancocelesti beat Monza in front of just over 10,000 spectators.
The former Lazio skipper and the club’s all-time leading scorer was at the stadium with his son, who had been asking to attend a match. For Immobile, it was an opportunity to revisit the place where he built the defining chapter of his playing career.
“Coming back home and seeing the stadium again is always emotional,” he said. “My son had been asking me for some time to take him to a game, and we managed to do it.”
Immobile did not regard Lazio’s early-season form as a surprise. In his view, the foundations had been put in place before the campaign began, with a squad assembled carefully and working under a coach who has given it direction.
“I am not surprised,” he said. “This team was built well, it plays well and it is coached well too. It has been a surprising start.”
A captain’s milestone
The afternoon also included recognition for Mattia Zaccagni, the man who has taken on the captaincy after Immobile’s departure. Zaccagni reached 200 Serie A appearances for Lazio, marking another significant step in a career that has gradually placed him among the senior figures at the club.
Immobile spoke warmly of his former team-mate, revealing that the pair had met during the week. He believes Zaccagni has accepted the responsibility of the armband in the proper spirit.
“I saw him during the week. He is reaching important milestones and I always wish him the best,” Immobile said. “He is carrying forward the role of captain with great respect and honour for the shirt.”
For Lazio, the sight of their former leader in the stands offered a link between a recent era and the current one. The club’s progress now belongs to a different group, with Zaccagni among its reference points, but Immobile’s appreciation suggested that he sees continuity rather than rupture at the Olimpico.
He is also beginning a new professional path away from the daily rhythm of club football. Immobile has taken up a role within the Italian Football Federation and described the work as a fresh challenge, particularly because of its focus on younger players.
“I am happy and enthusiastic about this project, and I am approaching it with commitment,” he said. “It is emotional because working with young people and starting again is stimulating.”
