Chelsea loanee raises eyebrows against Lazio
With advantages in possession, shots on target, successful passes, and dribbles, Lazio should have come out on top, despite mailing the match in. The one defensive player on Vitesse, however, that shone and kept Lazio at bay was 22-year-old Chelsea property, Matt Miazga.
The American was stout on defense for all 90 minutes at Stadio Olimpico. He led the way with eight clearances – five more than anyone else on the pitch – three tackles, a 95% success rate on his 71 passes, including 12 of 13 long balls.
After arriving to Stamford Bridge via the New York Red Bulls, Miazga struggled under Gus Hiddink and was loaned out to Vitesse last year. After his successful season, he returned to Vitesse and has now established himself as quality European centerback.
Whether Chelsea sees him as a potential first-team player, or a player they can make money off of in the transfer market is yet to be known.