Lazio’s long break has become a test of patience as much as preparation. Rino Gattuso is asking his reduced squad to preserve the hunger that has carried them this far, while Andrea Pinamonti works towards the physical level required to make a stronger claim for a regular place.
The decision
Pinamonti needed only 24 seconds to score against Arezzo, controlling with his right foot before finishing across goal with his left. It was an encouraging opening, but not yet a complete performance from a forward still building sharpness after a summer in which transfer matters took up more time than football.
He remained on the pitch for 80 minutes and applied himself to the demands of the match, although his intensity dropped as the game developed. A flu-like illness during the week did not help, nor did the demanding sessions scheduled by Gattuso on Friday and Saturday following five days away from training.
There is still an expectation that Pinamonti will become more forceful, more involved around the penalty area and more regularly threatening in front of goal. For now, the upcoming pause should offer him the chance to close the gap on his team-mates. He is not yet ready to move ahead of Tijjani Noslin in the pecking order, even though Noslin was used from the wing against Arezzo with Pinamonti through the middle.
The friendly against Juve Stabia on Saturday will provide another indication of his progress. The work required by Gattuso is especially taxing for a central striker: he wants aggressive pressing, close man-to-man marking without the ball, and constant movement across the side. The forward must lead the press, retreat to link play and then attack space again. Pinamonti carried out those duties, but was withdrawn in the 81st minute after running out of energy during the second half.
Gattuso is working without eight internationals and has not welcomed back any of the injured players. Danilo Cataldi has also suffered another setback. The coach’s response has been to keep returning to the same themes: effort, mentality and the capacity to compete for as long as possible.
“We had come through two important days of work and the players did well,” Gattuso said. “Desire and mentality cannot be missing. I have insisted on that since my first day. They have never lacked it, and I hope they never do. We are where we are because the group has desire.”
He considered the physical answer against Arezzo particularly valuable after the previous day’s demanding training. “After such a hard session on Saturday, I thought we might pay for it,” he said.
The extended interruption in the calendar is an unusual one for the squad to manage. Gattuso recalled experiencing a similarly long pause at Valencia when the World Cup in Qatar was played in December. Friendlies can fill the schedule, he warned, but they do not always recreate the emotional edge of competitive football.
“We have to be good at doing as little damage as possible,” he said. “You can play friendlies, but the adrenaline drops. That must not happen, which is why I gave the players a long rest.”
Sunday’s picture
The friendly programme is therefore carrying more weight than usual. Gattuso believes matches remain essential even when training standards are high, and Saturday’s meeting with Juve Stabia will be another chance to measure both Pinamonti’s condition and the response of a squad missing several established figures.
The coach has repeatedly praised the attitude within the group, pointing to the Coppa Italia tie against Mantova as a reminder that Lazio cannot operate at half-speed. “There is no middle ground,” he said. “We have to keep insisting on mentality.”
For Gattuso, the key sign is a side that trains with a smile while accepting the workload. If that balance survives the break, Lazio believe there can still be satisfaction ahead when the championship rhythm returns.
