Lucas Biglia, now part of Anderlecht’s coaching staff, left a strong mark during his years in Italy with Lazio and AC Milan—so much so that his family continues to live there. Deeply connected to the country, he reflects on his time in Rome and Milan, where he shared dressing rooms with some unforgettable personalities.

Biglia’s work ethic has always stood out. As a teenager, he travelled 200 kilometres every day from Mercedes to Buenos Aires just to train with Argentinos Juniors and Argentina’s youth teams. He eventually had to leave high school to focus on football, completing his studies later as a professional.

Today, after a long career with Lazio, Milan and the Argentina national team, he’s balancing coaching duties at Anderlecht with coaching courses in Coverciano.

Life on the move

“In practical terms,” Biglia explains, “we play on Sunday. Monday morning I fly to Milan, then take a train to Florence. On Wednesday night I go back to Milan, spend the night, and fly to Brussels on Thursday.”

It’s almost as intense as his playing years. On top of it, he’s taking English classes. “At Anderlecht we speak English with the players. I already learned French and Italian in my career, but now I’m juggling Spanish at home, French at the club and Italian in Coverciano. Until I finish the course in December, I’ve asked my teacher for a bit of patience!”

Choosing Italy for coaching

Biglia opted to study for his UEFA B and A licences in Italy after speaking with Esteban Cambiasso. “Serie A gave me something unique tactically. If you want to be a coach, you have to keep learning.”

He wants to coach his own team soon—ideally by next June—but not in Italy to start with. “In Italy you’re expected to deliver results immediately. In Belgium, the Netherlands or Switzerland, you get more time to build. In Italy, after five games, they’re already judging you.”

He sees working with a Primavera side as a strong first step. “Italy still doesn’t give young people time—not even players. Under-23 teams abroad are made up of 17- and 18-year-olds. Italy needs to change that mentality.”

Simone Inzaghi is one of his role models. “He’s one of the coaches I study the most. People judge the formation he uses, but his Lazio and Inter teams were completely different. And we need to understand that Guardiola is the exception—not the standard.”

A chaotic arrival in Rome

Biglia joined Lazio in 2013 after Anderlecht assistant Besnik Hasi recommended him to sporting director Igli Tare. Negotiations were tough.

“I spent 18 days stuck in a Rome hotel because the deal wouldn’t go through. I didn’t report for pre-season in Belgium, so I could have faced a FIFA case. Lotito didn’t want to pay the €2 million in commissions—just the €7 million transfer fee.”

The clubs eventually organised a friendly to help settle the payments, and Biglia and his agent covered the remaining amount. Even then, the ordeal wasn’t over.

“When I went to Lotito’s house to sign, he made me wait forever. After signing, he looked at Tare and said: ‘And who’s this?’ He didn’t even know who I was.”

His wife arrived in Rome during the chaos, pregnant and preparing the move. Two weeks later, their son was born. “The arrival was hellish,” Biglia says. “The departure was maybe even worse.”

A missed move to Manchester United

The fans turned on him when he wanted to leave. “In 2015 I had an offer from Manchester United under Van Gaal. Lotito told me he’d never let me go. I agreed to stay only if they renewed my contract. They promised—but never delivered.”

Dealing with Lotito was draining. “He’d call me to Formello at midnight, eat, fall asleep, and Tare would tell my agent to talk anyway. When the subject of my raise came up, he’d wake up and say he couldn’t do it because of FFP or jealousy in the dressing room.”

Finally reaching Milan

By January 2017, Biglia had signed a pre-contract with Milan. “I told Inzaghi I appreciated him but after the broken promises, I was leaving.”

Lotito still tried to stall the move. Biglia was sent to the Auronzo training camp, where 5,000 fans—mostly families—booed him. “Peruzzi told me to go speak to them, but I refused. After he insisted, I left camp and convinced Lazio to let me go.”

At the final meeting in Formello, Biglia was owed three months’ salary and a Europa League bonus. “One of Lotito’s assistants fought so hard against paying me that I left without any of it. My agent still complains. But I couldn’t take any more.”

Four key years in Rome

Despite everything, Biglia remembers his Lazio years fondly. “After the first year of adapting, I think I had three great seasons. I’ll never forget scoring a brace against Fiorentina. And despite how things ended, if Lotito called me one day to coach Lazio, I’d go.”

The “Forza Lazio” accident in Milan

His arrival at Milan included a viral moment. After intense medical tests and little rest, someone asked for a greeting and he said “Forza Lazio” out of pure exhaustion. “Nobody knew what I’d just been through.”

He also sees potential in Igli Tare at Milan. “Working with foreign owners isn’t easy, but if they give him space, he’ll do well.”

Milan frustrations and standout teammates

Injuries prevented him from making the impact he wanted at Milan. He never won a league derby but cherishes a Coppa Italia win.

He recalls Zlatan Ibrahimovic getting on Matteo Gabbia’s back only to push him to show character. “When Gabbia responded, Zlatan said, ‘That’s what I wanted to see.’”

On Rafael Leão: “He can reach another level, but he must believe it himself. Otherwise, it could be another João Félix situation—huge talent that never fully explodes.”

On Ibrahimovic in the pandemic: “When the club said salaries needed cutting, he said: ‘I played for Berlusconi’s Milan, and I’m not giving up a single euro. You can go bankrupt for all I care.’”

Now that Ibra has stepped back into a director role, Biglia says it suits him. “He’s learned that he can’t do everything himself.”

The strikers he’d always choose

Biglia has played alongside Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín, and Miroslav Klose.

“Besides Messi, I’d choose Higuaín.”