The former Santos man joined Lazio in 2013 after his career appeared to have stalled as he struggled to make the transition from teenage prodigy.
But he has revelled in coach Stefano Pioli’s dynamic midfield, inspiring a resurgent Lazio side to the verge of Champions League qualification for the first time since 2008 Lazio sit one point clear of city rivals Roma with five matches left to play. He said: “We’re having a great season, we have passed Roma to earn second place and we will play them in the derby on the penultimate day. We will have to stay focused until the absolute end in order to achieve our goal, which is finishing in second place.”
