Darko Lazović

Darko Lazović (Serbian Cyrillic: Дарко Лазовић, pronounced [dǎːrko lâːzoʋitɕ]; born 15 September 1990) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Serie A club Hellas Verona and the Serbia national team.

Not to be confused with Danko Lazović.

Darko Lazović
Lazović playing for Red Star Belgrade in 2014
Personal information
Full name Darko Lazović[1]
Date of birth (1990-09-15) 15 September 1990
Place of birth Čačak, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Hellas Verona
Number 8
Youth career
1996–2007 Borac Čačak
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Borac Čačak 42 (6)
2009–2015 Red Star Belgrade 117 (29)
2015–2019 Genoa 102 (5)
2019– Hellas Verona 139 (12)
International career‡
2008–2009 Serbia U19 2 (0)
2011–2012 Serbia U21 11 (4)
2008– Serbia 29 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:23, 21 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 June 2023

At the age of 21, Lazović was recognized as the best young player of the Serbian Superliga in 2011.[3]

Club career

Borac Čačak

From the age of six, Lazović began to train in the youth academy of FK Borac Čačak. By the time he played for the junior team, he was attracting the attention of scouts from outside of Čačak. On 2 March 2008, he made his senior debut for Borac head coach Milovan Rajevac in a league match against Hajduk Kula. He scored his first competitive goal for Borac Čačak on 22 March 2008, in a Serbian Superliga match against Vojvodina. In February 2009, Lazović trained with the first-team of Tottenham Hotspur F.C. for a couple of days, and by 10 February, Borac coach Ljubiša Dmitrović, told the press "For all I know, Lazović has been transferred to Tottenham".[4] However, a contract was never signed, and domestic club Red Star Belgrade took the initiative.

Red Star Belgrade

On 22 June 2009, at the age of 18, Lazović completed a transfer from Borac to Red Star, whose coach at the time was Vladimir Petrović.[5] He signed a four year contract with Red Star.[6] He missed the start of the season due to injury, but made his debut on 12 September 2009 against Metalac Gornji Milanovac. He came off the bench in the 65th minute to replace Nikola Vasiljević. He scored his first goal for Red Star on 23 September 2009, in the sixteenth Serbian Cup match against Mladost Apatin. Red Star went on to win 6–1 and Lazović scored a brace. Otherwise, Lazović saw little playing time until the arrival of coach Robert Prosinečki, after which he was named as best young player in the Serbian Superliga.[3] He played an important role in Red Star's 2011–12 UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign, as he started most of the games and contributed to a deep run into the qualification playoff, where Red Star lost to Stade Rennais.

In the semi-final of the 2011–12 Serbian Cup, On 11 April 2012, he scored a goal against historic rival Partizan, in a game which Red Star won 2–0.[7] That year, Red Star would go on to win the 2012 Serbian Cup Final. On 4 July 2012, Lazović signed a three-year contract extension, ending speculation about a possible transfer after Red Bull Salzburg made an offer for him.[8] Although Red Star didn't win the league that season, it was the second consecutive season in which Red Star made a play-off run in the UEFA Europa League qualifying phase. During the 2011-12 Europa League campaign, Lazović contributed with assists against Naftan Novopolotsk and played full matches against Omonia and Bordeaux.

Although a period of instability followed at Red Star, Lazović remained in the starting eleven even after a quick succession of coaches: Robert Prosinečki, Aleksandar Janković, and Ricardo Sá Pinto. However, on 18 May 2013, in a match against Partizan, he suffered a season-ending knee injury, eight minutes into the game.[9]

While Lazović was injured, Ricardo Sá Pinto voluntarily resigned from Red Star, and new coach Slaviša Stojanovič was enthusiastic about giving Lazović some playing time as soon as his injury allowed. On 22 February 2014, Lazović played his first competitive match after eight months of injury and made an assist against Javor.[10] On 12 April 2014, Lazović scored a hat-trick against Čukarički.[11] first in career. Lazović won his first championship with Red Star at the end of the season, after a win against OFK Beograd in a front of 55,000 fans.

After the departure of Nenad Milijaš and suspension of Nikola Mijailović during season, Lazović was appointed as new captain of Red Star Belgrade. On 14 January 2015, it was announced that at the end of the season, after six years in Red Star Belgrade, as a free player, Lazović would sign A multiyear contract with Serie A club Genoa.[12] In his last season with Red Star, he scored 10 goals and was the team's top scorer. His last game with Red Star was on 24 May 2015, in a win against Mladost Lučani.

Genoa

In summer 2015, Lazović signed with Serie A team Genoa. In a friendly match against Hertha BSC on 1 August 2015, Lazović scored his first goal for Genoa in their 0–2 away win.[13] On 8 November 2015, Lazović produced two assists in a 2–2 tie with Frosinone Calcio, and was subsequently named in the Serie A "Team of the Week".[14] On 16 December 2016, Lazović scored his first goal for Genoa against Fiorentina, in a match that was only 62 minutes long as it was meant as a continuation of an unfinished match from 11 September which had been abandoned due to an unusual hailstorm.[15] His contract expired and he left the club on 30 June 2019.

Hellas Verona

On 6 August 2019, Lazović signed a three-year contract with Serie A club Hellas Verona.[16]

International career

After being called up by coach Radomir Antić, Lazović made his first appearance for Serbia on 14 December 2008, in a friendly match against Poland. He did not play for the national team until four years later when he came in as a substitute in the 76th minute against France during a friendly match on 31 May 2012.[17] On 5 June 2012, during his third game for the senior team, he scored an impressive goal against Sweden which was disallowed by the referee.[18]

In November 2022, he was selected in Serbia's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[19] He played in a group stage match against Brazil.[20] Serbia finished fourth in the group.[21]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 October 2023[22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Borac Čačak 2007–08 Serbian SuperLiga 14300––143
2008–09 283215[lower-alpha 1]1–355
Total 4262151–498
Red Star Belgrade 2009–10 Serbian SuperLiga 912200–113
2010–11 1623000–192
2011–12 277614[lower-alpha 1]1–379
2012–13 234216[lower-alpha 1]0–315
2013–14 1450000–145
2014–15 28102000–3010
Total 11729154101–14234
Genoa 2015–16 Serie A 15010––160
2016–17 33230––362
2017–18 21030––240
2018–19 33310––343
Total 102580––1105
Hellas Verona 2019–20 Serie A 38310––393
2020–21 32310––333
2021–22 34111––352
2022–23 29400––294
2022–23 6100––61
Total 1391231––14213
Career total 400522861520044060
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 20 June 2023[23]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Serbia 200810
200900
201000
201100
201230
201300
201410
201500
201600
201700
201800
201940
202060
202160
202260
202321
Total291

International goals
Scores and results list Serbia's goal tally first.
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 June 2023Huvepharma Arena, Razgrad, Bulgaria29 Bulgaria1–11–1UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours

Red Star Belgrade

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Serbia (SRB)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 26. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. "Darko Lazović" (in Italian). Hellas Verona F.C. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  3. Дарко Лазовић најбољи млади играч у ЈСЛ. Moja Crvena Zvezda (in Serbian). 12 December 2011.
  4. B92 Sport – Fudbal – I Totenhem želi Lazovića? 10 February 2009
  5. "Lazović stigao u Crvenu zvezdu". Blic Sport (in Serbian). 22 June 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  6. "Buduća perjanica". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). 26 June 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  7. "KS: Lazović i Borha potopili Partizan". Sportal (in Serbian). 11 April 2012. Archived from the original (via Wayback Machine) on 14 April 2012.
  8. "Lazović produžio ugovor sa Zvezdom". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). 26 June 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  9. Darko Mitrović (19 May 2013). "Kraj sezone za Lazovića". Sportske.net (in Serbian).
  10. На крилима надахнутог Дарка Лазовића (in Serbian). Dnevnik. 22 February 2014. Archived from the original (via Wayback Machine) on 22 March 2014.
  11. Mihajlo Vidojević (12 April 2014). "JSL: Crvena zvezda - Čukarički (uživo)". Sportske.net (in Serbian).
  12. Moja Crvena zvezda: Darko Lazović u Đenovi (in Serbian) Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  13. Football Italia: Genoa shock Hertha Berlin. 1 August 2015
  14. B. Vinulović. Blic Sport: IGRAČ KOLA U ITALIJI: Lazović ispred Žervinja, Mandžukića i Iguaina. (in Serbian) 9 November 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  15. Selene Scarsi (16 December 2016). "Genoa's Darko Lazovic: 'Strange' finishing Fiorentina game 3 months on". ESPN. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  16. "UFFICIALE: Hellas Verona, Lazovic nuovo giocatore degli scaligeri". Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  17. UEFA – Friendlies 2010–12 – France Serbia 2:0 Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  18. 101 great goals – A brilliant volley that never was: Darko Lazovic Serbia vs Sweden Retrieved 5 June 2012
  19. "Head-coach Dragan Stojković announces the list of players for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar". Football Association of Serbia. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  20. Conti, Kristen (24 November 2022). "Richarlison Brings Brazil to Life in the Second Half, Defeats Serbia 2-0". NBCNew York. New York. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  21. Mendola, Nicholas (2 December 2022). "World Cup 2022 Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Cameroon, Switzerland schedule, fixtures, rankings". NBC Sports. Lusail. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  22. "D. Lazović". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  23. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Darko Lazović". National Football Teams.
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