Igli has been Lazio’s sporting director since 2008, scoring hits such as Immobile, Milinkovic-Savic, and Luis Alberto. The current roster includes many players signed by the executive now at Milan.

Many years together. Igli Tare, between the pitch and the desk, was at Lazio from 2005 to 2023. Saturday will see the first face-to-face meeting between the former and the latter. His Milan will host what can still be considered, in part, his Lazio. Because there are still many players in the Biancocelesti squad who were brought to Rome by Tare.

For years, Lazio has been performing at a high level, even winning several titles, driven by Tare’s transfer market insights. In 2008, he became sporting director, replacing Sabatini. From Hernanes to Klose, from Candreva to Parolo, and most recently Leiva and Correa, the Albanian sporting director has had a nose for real bargains for years. However, the best in terms of performance are probably Immobile (the club’s all-time leading scorer), Milinkovic (the top foreign goalscorer), and Luis Alberto.

Today’s players—  Even today, however, Sarri relies on many players wanted by Tare. One above all: Gila. The sporting director has always placed a lot of faith in the Spanish defender, even when he was struggling to get game time in Rome. He was Tare’s last big gift to the Biancocelesti. Before playing regularly in Rome, Gila had to wait 18 months, only gaining confidence when, between injuries and suspensions, there were no other alternatives. Tare, however, supported him and continued to believe in him. It is no coincidence that the two still have a very close relationship. Tare also had a hand in Cataldi’s arrival, who has had his ups and downs at Lazio: the midfielder had been discarded, but it was the sporting director who wanted to give him another chance. He was also the one who led the negotiations for Romagnoli and Provedel. Then there are players such as Marusic and Lazzari, who have been in Rome since 2017 and 2019 respectively. The Montenegrin, who has started in 10 of the 12 league games, has always been held in high regard by coaches: Sarri now uses him on both the right and left. Inzaghi played him as a fifth defender or as part of a back three, while Tudor played him as a wing-back. Another player on whom the sporting director has always relied is Basic: long on the fringes of the team, he has been reinstated to the league roster by Sarri in recent months due to numerous injuries and is often among the best on the field. Among the Biancocelesti midfielders, he is the only one who, due to his characteristics, systematically tries to invade the opponent’s penalty area. Tare knows him well, as he knows most of the Lazio squad. Which still partly exploits the insights of its former sporting director.