How Lazio’s Stunning Start Raises a Bigger Question About Serie A
Football prediction is rarely straightforward in Serie A, but few observers would have forecast Lazio’s remarkable rise. Not long ago, the club finished ninth, faced uncertainty over its squad and leadership, and began the new campaign with a Coppa Italia defeat to Serie B side Mantova. Now, after nine league matches, Rino Gattuso’s team have collected 25 points, remain unbeaten and sit at the top of the table—although Inter have yet to play.
Lazio’s transformation is a compelling story in its own right. Yet it also invites a broader question: what does it say about a league where a team that appeared to be drifting can move from ninth place to the summit in the space of one summer?
A remarkable turnaround against the odds
The circumstances surrounding Lazio’s pre-season made their early success difficult to predict. The squad was considered tired, the previous campaign had ended in a disappointing ninth-place finish, and Gattuso arrived after a difficult spell with the national team. Sporting director Igli Tare also faced a summer of scrutiny, while the transfer window passed without any notable new arrivals.
The warning signs continued when Lazio lost at home to Mantova in the Coppa Italia. That result suggested a team short of confidence and possibly short of the depth needed to compete. Instead, Lazio responded with a run of eight wins and one draw in their first nine league fixtures. Their unbeaten start has put them among the most impressive early-season teams of the three-points-for-a-win era.
Only two sides have recorded more points after nine matches in that period: Fabio Capello’s Juventus in 2005–06 and Roma in 2013–14, who won their first ten games. Both had 27 points at the equivalent stage. The comparison is striking, but it should not be mistaken for a prediction that Lazio will necessarily maintain the same pace. It does, however, underline the scale of their achievement.
Gattuso’s football: aggression with control
Lazio’s results have been built on more than momentum. Gattuso has given the team a clear identity, asking his players to press high and engage opponents man-to-man from the earliest stages of their build-up. The approach demands energy, concentration and courage: one missed assignment can leave space behind the press, while a mistimed challenge can allow an opponent to break through.
What makes Lazio particularly interesting is that their intensity without the ball is paired with patience in possession. They do not simply chase, win the ball and rush forward. They are also prepared to circulate it, wait for openings and build attacks with care. The mix recalls elements of Gian Piero Gasperini’s aggressive pressing and Maurizio Sarri’s emphasis on structured possession, while remaining recognisably Gattuso’s own.
Most importantly, Gattuso has resisted the temptation to make his team cautious whenever it takes the lead. Many sides retreat into a defensive shell when protecting an advantage, especially away from home. Lazio have instead continued to play on the front foot, accepting that an ambitious approach can sometimes bring risk as well as reward. That commitment has helped make them entertaining, but it has also tested their mentality.
A six-goal statement in Reggio Emilia
Their 6–2 victory over Sassuolo offered a vivid example. Lazio scored six times despite missing two penalties, a detail that captures both the scale and the unusual nature of the performance. The result was not simply a routine win: it showed a side willing to keep attacking, even when the match presented setbacks and opportunities to ease off.
For supporters, the scoreline was a thrilling demonstration of the team’s attacking potential. For rival coaches, it was also a reminder that Lazio can punish mistakes quickly. Their high press can disrupt opponents before they establish control, while their willingness to move the ball forward gives them ways to exploit the spaces created by that pressure.
Still, such an open style brings questions that will shape the rest of the season. Can Lazio maintain the physical demands of their pressing across a long campaign? How will they respond when opponents bypass the first line or force them into slower, more controlled matches? And can the squad remain consistent if injuries or suspensions reduce Gattuso’s options? Those tests will offer a clearer measure of whether this start represents a genuine title challenge or an exceptional early run.
What Lazio’s form says about Serie A
Lazio deserve credit for making the most of their opportunity. Their rise should not be dismissed as a failure by bigger clubs, nor should their achievements be reduced to a statistic. The players have embraced a demanding game plan, and Gattuso has persuaded them to trust it. That is a meaningful accomplishment, particularly after a difficult build-up to the season.
At the same time, their position raises questions about the competitive landscape. A ninth-place team becoming an unbeaten league leader so quickly may reflect the unpredictability that makes Serie A compelling. It may also point to how narrow the gap can be between a troubled campaign and a successful one when a coach establishes a convincing identity and the squad responds.
For anyone making a Serie A football prediction, Lazio’s start is both an opportunity and a warning. Their performances have earned them serious attention, but nine matches cannot settle the title race. The strongest judgment will come after they face different tactical challenges, manage the pressure of being leaders and navigate the inevitable dips that arrive during a season.
Gattuso, meanwhile, has already changed the conversation around his team. After the criticism that followed his difficult national-team experience, he has shown that his methods can produce modern, compelling football at club level. Lazio’s early success is not proof that every question has been answered. It is proof that a team written off in the summer can reshape expectations through conviction, organisation and fearless play.
