Lazio forward Pedro has confirmed he will leave the club following tomorrow’s Serie A match against Pisa. The 36-year-old revealed his departure in an interview with the club’s official media channels, describing the past few days as both ‘sad and emotional’ as he prepares to conclude his time in Rome.
Pedro arrived at Lazio in August 2020, and has made 148 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 23 goals. He cited a strong connection with the club’s values of humility, harmony, and solidarity as key to his positive experience, and praised the unwavering support of the Lazio fanbase. The Spaniard acknowledged a difficult recent season, marked by strained relations between the club, players, and supporters, expressing regret that he could not deliver a Coppa Italia trophy to the fans.
He reflected fondly on his most memorable goals, singling out strikes against Roma in the Derby della Capitale, Celtic, and Porto as particularly special moments. Pedro also highlighted the impact of former managers Maurizio Sarri, Pep Guardiola, and Igor Tudor on his career, placing Sarri second only to Guardiola in terms of managerial influence. He fondly remembered his time under Sarri at both Chelsea and Lazio, praising the Italian’s dedication and tactical acumen.
During the interview, Pedro expressed a desire to see young talents such as Matteo Rovella, Mattia Zaccagni, and Taylor Booth remain at the club for the long term, alongside experienced players like Patric, Adam Marusic, and Alessandro Cataldi. He also revealed previous attempts to persuade former teammates like Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and David Luiz to join Lazio, although these efforts proved unsuccessful. Pedro affirmed his intention to continue supporting Lazio from the stands and expressed hope for a future return to the club in a different capacity.
Pedro’s departure marks the end of an era for the club, and leaves a void in the attacking options for next season. Lazio will look to rebuild and restore unity within the club following a turbulent period, hoping to return to challenging for major honours in the future.
