Maurizio Sarri backs Senegalese forward Boulaye Dia amid prolonged goal drought at Lazio

Boulaye Dia’s struggles in front of goal continued on Monday night as Lazio defeated Cagliari 2-0 in Serie A, marking the Senegalese forward’s eighth consecutive match without scoring.

The win lifted Lazio to seventh place in the league with 15 points, three shy of the European qualification spots.

Yet for Dia, it was another frustrating outing. Despite being given substantial minutes, the 28-year-old failed to find the breakthrough he has been chasing since the early stages of the campaign.

At this point last season, Dia — then playing for Salernitana — had already scored four goals and registered two assists.

This season, he has managed just one goal so far, a figure that reflects a noticeable dip in attacking output.

Still, head coach Maurizio Sarri remains unfazed by the striker’s barren run and instead highlighted his contribution in other areas.

“Some players, like Dia, have been criticized, but he’s doing an extraordinary job defensively, Sarri said after the match. He has the potential to be dangerous going forward, and even if he doesn’t score, he makes himself useful to the team. Currently, all the players are available, and that pleases me.”

Sarri’s public show of support underscores the Italian manager’s trust in Dia’s work ethic and tactical discipline, even as the goals dry up.

The forward’s willingness to track back and press high up the pitch has not gone unnoticed, though the lack of end product remains a growing concern for both the player and his supporters.

For Dia, the pressure to rediscover his scoring touch is mounting.

With Senegal preparing for the upcoming international window — including a high-profile friendly against Brazil on 15 November in London — competition for places in Aliou Cissé’s attack is fierce.

Having missed the October call-up, the Lazio forward will need to make a statement in the coming weeks if he hopes to earn a recall.

The looming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco adds further incentive.

As several of his compatriots continue to impress at club level, Dia will be eager to demonstrate that he can still be relied upon when it matters most.

For now, Sarri’s confidence offers him some breathing room — but both coach and player know that goals will ultimately be the only measure that matters.