Gattuso Lazio Frankly Don’t Belong Up There at Top of Serie A Table Despite Best-Ever Start

FolioPitch.com – 25 October 2026 | Gennaro Gattuso may be overseeing the best start to a Serie A season in Lazio’s history, but the coach is refusing to get carried away. After a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening, Gattuso Lazio frankly don t belong up there at top of Serie A table, insisting the Biancocelesti are not yet ready to be considered genuine title contenders.

The win, secured through Kenneth Taylor’s first-half strike and a Diego Carlos own goal, lifted Lazio to the summit of the Italian top flight with seven victories and a 2-2 draw from their opening eight matches. It is a remarkable achievement for a club that has spent recent seasons grappling with financial fair play restrictions and assembling a squad on a modest budget. Yet Gattuso remains steadfast in his refusal to discuss ambition beyond the next fixture.

A Victory Built on Patience and Resilience

For long periods against Parma, Lazio were frustrated by a disciplined and dangerous opponent. Goalkeeper Christos Mandas was forced into three significant saves during the first half as the visitors threatened repeatedly on the counter-attack. It took until after the interval for the hosts to break the deadlock, and the breakthrough came with a touch of fortune. Taylor latched onto a Reda Belahyane pass that ricocheted off Diego Carlos before finding the net, and the same defender later inadvertently turned Nuno Tavares’ cross into his own goal.

Parma ensured a tense finale when Simone Lontani’s cross bounced in off the inside of the far post during added time, but Lazio held on to claim all three points. Gattuso acknowledged the difficulties his side faced but praised their mentality and growing maturity.

“I appreciated the mentality of the team,” Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia. “We got a bit worried with their counter-attacks in the first half and were naïve at times, but then we raised the tempo and took control of the situation. The way this team trains, approaches the match, I can only be pleased. We improved in the last couple of games, we didn’t take our foot off the gas the way we did against Milan and Monza, so that is a step in the right direction.”

He added: “Every match has its difficulties, but the side is in good shape, we can hurt our opponents, but only if we play at the right tempo. If we play with a sluggish tempo, we’re not effective.”

Keeping Feet on the Ground

With Roma held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Napoli earlier in the evening, Lazio now sit four points clear of their city rivals in third place. It is a position that would have seemed improbable before the campaign began, yet Gattuso continues to downplay expectations. When asked about his side’s lofty standing, he repeated that Gattuso Lazio frankly don t belong up there at top of Serie A table, describing the situation as something that does not touch him or his players.

“It depends on us, I feel at this moment we need to take it one game at a time,” he continued. “We frankly don’t really belong up there, it’s not something that touches us, but we are still writing a nice page in the history books of this club. Every match, another 200-300 people enter the stadium, so we’ve got to keep going. I want to thank the Curva Nord, as they waited for the lads when we entered the gates of the Stadio Olimpico. We’ve got to keep our feet on the ground, keep going with this enthusiasm, and then see where we end up.”

The only negative note on an otherwise positive evening was the continued absence of the ultras from Lazio’s home games. Supporters gathered in the streets once again to protest against President Claudio Lotito and have refused to enter the Stadio Olimpico for months, a situation that casts a shadow over the club’s on-field success.

No European Football Proving a Blessing

With no European commitments this season, Gattuso believes Lazio have been handed a significant advantage. The midweek round of Serie A fixtures is approaching, and the coach was asked whether the lack of continental football benefits his squad rather than hindering it.

“It does give us some benefits, because we can work hard in training, then rest the players, a bit like they do in England,” he explained. “In the last three months, we’ve given 20 days off to the players. It’s because we can work with great intensity for two days, then give a full day off, they are refreshed then both physically and mentally. That’s what I call invisible recovery work, and it is certainly giving us an advantage.”

Gattuso also addressed the curious case of Luca Pellegrini, who was initially excluded from the squad list before being reintegrated. The coach revealed that the decision was made by the club due to the defender’s expiring contract, but that Pellegrini’s professionalism in training earned him a second chance.

“He’ll be a free agent in a few months, so the club quite rightly made its decision to exclude both Pellegrini and Patric. I am the coach, if the club decides that, then I have to accept it,” Gattuso said. “Once the summer transfer session was over, we could add two more players and some names were mentioned, but honestly I said no because I know the atmosphere in the locker room. Patric was sold, Pellegrini remained, and as he was behaving well in training, we let him play some friendly matches. That is where the decision was made. We know his contract is running down, but as long as he behaves the right way, we should give him a chance. I spoke to the club, they agreed, and he is part of the squad for now.”

Conclusion

Lazio’s start to the season has been nothing short of extraordinary, but Gattuso’s insistence that Gattuso Lazio frankly don t belong up there at top of Serie A table serves as a reminder that the coach is focused on steady progress rather than grand declarations. With a small squad, no European distractions, and a growing sense of belief among the players, the Biancocelesti may yet surprise those who doubt them. For now, Gattuso will continue to take it one game at a time, keeping his players grounded while the fans dare to dream.