Lucas Besozzi – Lanus’ playmaking gem
Lanus have one of the better academy systems in Argentina as in recent times, they have developed a tremendous amount of talent but with instability and coaching changes in the recent season, they have begun to rely on more experience. This means that there is a logjam of talent in between the first-team and reserve side as players like Lucas Besozzi, who was one of the stars of the reserve side have had to gain experience on loan. For the last two seasons, Besozzi has been loaned to Central Cordoba as he has recently become one of their more integral players, growing into his role as an outlet and creator in the final third as he only turned 20 at the beginning of this year. Besozzi has developed into a player to watch in the Argentine Primera Division for a team that only has two wins this season.
Lanus Reserva’s Head Coach, Rodrigo Acosta has proved crucial in shaping the playmaker’s formative years as the young coach regularly asks his attackers to fulfil a variety of roles, be it in the deeper-midfield areas as a 6 or an 8 or as an attacking midfielder. This allows players to develop an understanding for a wide range of tactical responsibilities while making them more well-rounded as attackers. Besozzi plays on the left-wing as he can receive possession in the deeper areas to work connections and make runs into space to drive the ball forward while in the attacking phase, he can tuck inside to receive possession in between the lines. His strongest asset is his dribbling as he has the close control and the turn of pace to weave past players and drive the ball forward before picking his head up to thread through balls into runners. His dribbling allows him to cut inside off the flank to generate shooting opportunities for himself. As a chance creator, he thrives as a crosser, making runs into space to receive possession and square crosses into the box as he can also drive to the by-line to dink lobbed deliveries onto the foreheads of teammates for high-quality opportunities.
In mid-2021, away to Club Atletico Union’s Reserva side, Acosta would have him positioned in a more central role as he dropped into the six-space to receive possession, swivelling to reset his feet and thread a line-breaking pass to the eight space to start an attacking move. The 20-year-old dropped into the six-space once more to receive possession from the goalkeeper as he turned to spread possession to the flank as in the sequence, he dropped into the six-space once more to receive possession, playing a pass to his fullback as he dropped in between the centre-backs to receive possession once more to drive the ball forward and poke a line-breaking pass to a teammate in the left half-space. After his side regained possession in their own box, he would receive possession outside the box to calmly skip past a marker and spread a pass to the wide areas. Besozzi received a lay-off from a throw-in to play an outside of the boot pass to a striker in the opposition box as his team would lose possession during the build-up phase as Besozzi responded quickly by pushing up to press before eventually dropping deep to make a tackle.
At home to River Plate in the Reserva Division, Besozzi was deployed on the left flank, dropping deep to receive possession and flick-on to the nine-space before receiving a lay-off on the flank, driving the ball forward to cut inside and thread a through ball to Lucas Varaldo who went 1v1 with the goalkeeper and had his opportunity saved. The 20-year-old received possession on the left flank, cutting inside to skip past a challenge before turning to drive the ball forward and thread a through ball into the ten space to instigate an attacking move. Playing in a variety of positions, allows him to act as a build-up conduit from the flank, cutting inside as he is able to recognize movements and passing angles in the central spaces to play the ball progressively. He created another opportunity when he received possession with a switch ball on the left flank, cutting past his defender to have a shot blocked with his weaker right foot before driving to the by-line to lob a cross into the box for a runner who had his opportunity blocked.
Besozzi dropped deep to receive possession on the flank, turning to thread a pass for a runner to evade pressure. He received possession once more, using his body to shield the ball before cutting back and utilizing a croqueta to thread a pass in between two opposition players. Away to Huracan in the Reserva Division, he tucked inside to receive possession after a turnover, swivelling to play a direct pass to the nine-space before receiving a lay-off to drive forward in a counter-attacking sequence. The attacker received possession near the left touchline, cutting past two players to drive to the by-line before stopping and lofting a cross into the box which was punched away by the goalkeeper. He received possession on the left flank to attract markers and work a pass into the centre to initiate a switch ball opportunity. At home to Gimnasia, he notched an assist, receiving possession and driving the ball forward to play a low cross into the box for Varaldo to hold possession and bury a strike. At home to Sarmiento, he received possession on the left flank, cutting back a cross to Varaldo whose shot was deflected wide.
The 20-year-old received possession on the left flank again, driving into the opposition box before cutting back to guide the ball past a slding challenge as he cut-back another cross for Varaldo to have a shot blocked. At home to Estudiantes, he received possession on the counter-attack to drive the ball forward, cutting inside to work a one-two with Varaldo before threading a pass in between the lines for a teammate to surge forward. Besozzi received possession on the left flank, using his directional first touch to drive the ball past a marker as he cut inside before he drove the ball outside, cutting past a sliding challenge and using his close control to skip past a marker and play a pass to a teammate. At home to Platense, he was deployed on the right flank, to make an interception, using his first touch to skip past a marker before driving the ball forward to have a shot tipped wide. The Argentine playmaker, he received possession on the right flank, driving the ball forward, skipping past a defender, using his body to hold off another defender as he used his quick feet to drive the ball past another defender into a pocket of space as he lost possession.
Besozzi received possession on the right flank, using his directional first touch to evade a marker as he skipped past a second defender who brought him down. Away to Racing’s Reserva side, he received possession on the right flank to drive the ball forward and play a through ball for a teammate who dribbled past the keeper but could not get the right angle for a shot on goal. The 20-year-old received possession on the right flank, cutting inside, using his right foot to skip past a defender into a pocket of space before lofting a cross into the box with his left for an opportunity that was deflected past the goalkeeper. At the back-end of last season, Central Cordoba began to give him more minutes as he came off the bench against River Plate, receiving possession, driving the ball towards the box to thread a slide-rule pass for a teammate in the box who was unable to get a shot on goal.
At home to Racing’s first-team, Besozzi had a strong showing against high-level competition, playing on the right flank, looking to hold the ball up and work connections. The 20-year-old would regain possession, skipping past an attacker and playing a progressive pass to an attacker who was fouled. He regularly looks to skip past attackers to drive the ball forward before releasing possession to work connections. He received possession on the counter-attack by making a brilliant unmarking movement as he looked to cut inside to drive down the line and burst into the box, but he was not forceful enough with his actions. He then moved to the left flank as he decided against cutting inside when it was his better option before tucking into the half-space to receive possession and switch possession to the opposite flank. He eventually weaved past a sliding challenge work a pass to the flank as the youngster showed potential in cutting inside off the flank.
In 2023, he has developed into a starter and one of the team’s more important players as at home to Argentinos Juniors, he received a lobbed pass, cutting backwards to evade a marker with his first touch as he surged down the line on the left flank, driving the ball past two players before skipping past a third to cut back onto his right foot onto his right foot, lobbing a ball into the six-yard area which was deflected out by a defender. A ball was played into his path as he showed great awareness to dummy a pass to a teammate who surge down the right flank. In a short free-kick situation, he received a through ball on the right flank, cutting past a defender into the centre to play a cut-back for a teammate who mis-kicked his opportunity. After a turnover on his flank, he would regain possession in a counter-pressing situation before lobbing a corner into the box with his right foot as a teammate failed to get a header on goal.
In a counter-attacking situation, Besozzi received possession in the central spaces, threading a through ball to the nine-space with his weaker right foot as he made a run to receive possession but lost possession with a defender making a sliding tackle. The 20-year-old tucked inside once more, using his body to hold possession and swivel away from a defender to thread a through ball for a teammate who had a 1v1 with the goalkeeper saved. Besozzi notched an assist in a counter-attacking situation where he made a run on the left flank to receive a switch ball, driving into the box to play a low cross across the face of goal for a tap-in at the back-post. In another counter-attacking situation, he received possession on the left flank, skipping past a defender as he tried to beat a second but lost possession for a corner.
Away to Platense, Besozzi cut inside to play a back-pass to a teammate before receiving possession and skipping past a defender to work a pass to the nine-space. In a counter-attacking sequence, he surged forward on the break, playing a reverse pass to the left instead of a switched pass to the right flank. Another aspect of his game that has made him such an effective winger is his movements off the ball as he made an intelligent outside-in run to receive possession and have a cut-back blocked before making a run into the half-space to receive possession and loft a cross into the box. The 20-year-old cut inside to send a shot from range wide with his right foot before receiving possession on the left flank to thread a through ball for a runner in the half-space to have his cross blocked. He received possession near the touchline to drive into space and have a low cross blocked.
Besozzi initiated another counter-attack when he worked a one-two to surge into the centre, threading a pass in between the lines to receive a lay-off and play the ball to the flank. He received possession to adjust his body and play a one-touch pass to the nine-space before leading a break on the right flank, cutting inside to send a shot high and wide with his left foot. The 20-year-old regained possession as he worked a one-two with a teammate to receive possession in the half-space, skipping past a defender to drive to the by-line and lob a left-footed cross into the box but nobody was on hand to apply the finish. The young Argentine playmaker constantly makes intelligent movements into space before receiving possession as he received the ball on the left-flank to have a 1v1, holding possession to thread a pass for a teammate to have a low crossing opportunity. Besozzi finished the game with 4 shots and 2/5 takeons.
At home to Tigre, Besozzi received possession in the half-space, laying off the ball before making a run to receive possession again as he was tackled. He controlled a high ball with his chest, cutting inside to drive into the centre and switch possession to the opposite flank. After a turnover, he tucked inside to receive possession, laying off the ball before making a run into the half-space as he received possession to drive the ball forward, cutting past a defender to drive towards the by-line where he had a cross blocked before lofting the rebound into the box for a teammate to shoot wide at the back-post. In another counter-attacking situation, he received possession on the left flank, controlling a lobbed pass with the outside of his right foot, cutting inside to have a shot saved. After his side lost possession, he reacted quickly to regain possession in the counter-press with a sliding tackle.
The 20-year-old tucked into the left half-space to receive possession, driving the ball forward, skipping past two players to have his cross blocked. Besozzi received a cut-back at the top of the box, driving the ball to the right flank, skipping past one defender while holding the second defender off as he lobbed a cross into the box with his right foot for a header at the back-post. He worked a one-two with a teammate to thread a through ball into the channels for a runner to send a low cross into the box. In the attacking phase, he dropped deep to receive possession, utilizing a dummy to receive a lay-off in the half-space and surge into the box as he had a cross blocked. After a turnover in the opposition half, he worked a one-two with a teammate who drove the ball forward as he received possession in the box during a counter-attacking situation, using the outside of his right boot to cut inside and send a shot over the bar for an opportunity which he should have finished. He instigated a counter-attacking move when he received possession on the left flank, using the outside of his boot to cut inside, driving the ball forward to thread a slide-rule pass to the nine-space as he made a run to receive possession once more as he did not get the ball back. On the left flank, he shifted the ball from his left foot to his right to play a progressive pass to a teammate down the line.
Besozzi is gradually coming into his own as an attacker as his dribbling and ball-carrying allows him to drive the ball over long distances as well as manoeuvring into shooting and chance creation situations. He is comfortable in crossing and shooting with either foot as he thrives in cutting onto his stronger right foot from the left flank. With Central Cordoba being a counter-attacking side, they are beginning to funnel their attacks through him as he is essential in leading the counter-attack. He needs to improve his decision-making with looking to switch the ball instead of playing slide-rule passes as there are some counter-attacks where he can hold the ball for longer before releasing the ball. Besozzi can contort his body and play a line-breaking pass from a variety of body shapes and angles as this allows him to cut inside from the flank and play the ball forward to string together attacking moves.
The 20-year-old’s vision for through balls allows him to operate as a chance creator while he loves to work passing combinations where he can play progressive passes before moving into space to receive possession again. Most of the opportunities he creates currently come from crossing situations as he is strong when he can move into space to generate high quality crossing situations or in situations where the ball is switched to him and he can charge at a defender to dribble into space and loft a cross into the box. He can also cut inside and generate shooting opportunities for himself as he needs to become more efficient with all the responsibility that his team puts on his shoulders. Besozzi is able to play on the right flank, in a central role and on the left flank as he will most likely continue on the left flank for Central Cordoba.
Lanus decided against adding an option to buy to his second loan with Central Cordoba as his contract will run out at the end of this year and he will return to Lanus. With Lanus having a lot of options in his position, he could be a cheaper option in the upcoming summer and winter transfer windows. In Belgium, Union Saint-Gilloise, Club Brugge, Anderlecht and Cercle Brugge would be good moves for him. In Ligue 1, Reims, Montpellier, Toulouse and Nantes would be good stepping stones for him as Bordeaux in Ligue 2 would also be a strong move. In Portugal, teams like Braga, Vitoria, Casa Pia, Rio Ave, Famalicao and Vizela would be good moves for him. In the Spanish Second Division, Eibar, Leganes, Las Palmas, Alaves, Real Zaragoza, Leganes and Sporting Gijon would all be good moves for him. A team like Basel would also provide a good opportunity for Besozzi to move to Europe and showcase his skills. Besozzi could move into the upper tier of chance creators in Argentina aged 23 and under.
