Serie A side Lazio picked up a very impressive 3-0 win over Juventus on Sunday and it was pretty much a statement performance from Rino Gattuso’s side. Before they Roman side came into the game though, there were doubts about whether they truly are the real deal or not. But the win in Turin gives them much-needed validation and they truly deserved it.
Because the club hasn’t been devoid of chaos in the last year or so. If anything, it was synonymous with it. During Maurizio Sarri’s last season, they were under pressure to sell players to increase liquidity. A transfer ban in the summer of 2025 followed, as financial issues mounted and it became clear that Claudio Lotito’s detachment with affairs was also growing.
Over time, there has been a clear erosion of identity since the Simone Inzaghi days too. While Sarri was meant to bring in a new identity, off-pitch chaos played a role in deying him completely. In fact, it was external intervention over transfers that led to his exit during his first spell and Sarri went public with the club’s troubles after their sale of Taty Castellanos.
And when Gattuso came in, there was little hope anything would change for the better. The club was being linked with a sale and the fans protested constantly against Lotito towards the end of last season. While he has pretended to not care and has fought back, it has only increased the disconnect between the clubs and the fans.
But Gattuso has proved to be a uniting force Lazio truly needed.
The ex-midfielder himself had a chip on his shoulder. He was sacked after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup and his reputation was down in the dumps. In fact, his appointment was frowned upon by many and was seen simply as a sign of Lazio’s falling stock on a global stage.
But Gattuso has proved everyone wrong, coming up with a system for the side that suits everyone. Davide Frattesi’s return to prominence is the best example of that, as the midfielder has settled in seamlessly and is playing to his strengths, allowing him to score goals regularly.
Kenneth Taylor is thriving in a box-to-box role, taking off from where he left off. Nuno Tavares is bombing forward, donning a role that has always suited him best. Gustav Isaksen has the license to constantly bomb forward when he receives the ball and that also brings most out of his strength.
Gattuso is achieving all this without too many complications either. The system relies on a solid mid-block and is largely pragmatic to suit players.
In many ways, this is a career revival which somehow defines Gattuso too. He has spoken about this prominently in a lot of press conferences, clarifying some weeks ago that he has done enough at club level to command respect. He has emphasised constantly on a people-first approach, describing the team as a family, even if the transfer window could’ve been much better.
The former midfielder hasn’t given up after the disappointment with the Azzurri, which is very much like the Gattuso everyone knows. He has kept pushing and has never really demanded attention too. He has grafted his way through and the Juve win will always stand the test of time, even if Lazio don’t finish inside a Champions League spot.
But beyond that, things could’ve been much worse for Lazio, considering everything happening at the club. The same also applies for Gattuso, making this the perfect marriage for both parties.
Kaustubh Pandey – GIFN
