Reda Belahyane has taken the opening created by Lazio’s injuries and turned it into a meaningful place in Rino Gattuso’s midfield. Against Monza on Sunday, the 22-year-old’s work without the ball again gave shape to a side still waiting for Nicolo Rovella and Danilo Cataldi to return fully.
The decision
Gattuso has placed trust in Belahyane as a holding midfielder with licence to disrupt play across the pitch. It is a role that has brought out the French midfielder’s energy, timing and defensive awareness after a less settled spell under Marco Baroni and Maurizio Sarri.
Belahyane said that Gattuso understood him, while also revealing he apologised to the coach after collapsing during a training camp. He went to Gattuso’s office, where the Lazio manager embraced him. The relationship has since become central to the player’s progress.
“At first glance you would not expect much from him, but tactically he is good and he is always in the right position,” Gattuso said of Belahyane. The coach also sees room for development in possession: “He needs to look forward more, especially when we break through pressure. He tends to choose the safe pass, but he can become a complete player.”
Sarri had identified the same limitation when Belahyane was used in a more creative midfield role. He valued the player’s bursts forward and late arrivals into the area, but was unconvinced by his management of the passing game. Under Gattuso, the assignment is clearer: Belahyane begins as the deep midfielder, but also acts as the side’s main ball-winner.
The change has been helped by circumstance. Rovella and Cataldi are both working their way back from injury, and their absence forced Gattuso to rely on Belahyane. What began as a necessity has become a selection with its own logic.
Sunday’s picture
Lazio’s match against Monza offered the clearest illustration of Belahyane’s present value. He pressed aggressively, chased runners through midfield and recovered into defensive areas when required, often arriving where team-mates needed cover.
He leads Serie A for possessions regained in the middle third, with 21. Within Lazio’s squad, he has recovered the ball most often, recording 29 regains, and has won the most tackles, with eight.
His physical output was also notable against Monza. Belahyane covered 11.022 kilometres, placing him among Lazio’s leading runners on the day behind Floriani, Taylor and Isaksen.
Gattuso has used him flexibly during matches. At times Belahyane drops between the two centre-backs, creating a back three and allowing Floriani and Nuno Tavares to advance. In those phases, Lazio can resemble a 3-4-3, with Taylor and Frattesi operating higher and wider alongside the attacking trio. The same adjustment had appeared against Milan.
Belahyane’s movement allows Lazio’s wide players to hold the flanks while the midfielders attack further forward. He can be seen covering near the byline or moving towards the right touchline, always with the task of spoiling opposition moves before they develop.
For now, Lazio have found an unexpected answer in a player once searching for a defined identity. Belahyane has not solved every question in midfield, particularly in his forward distribution, but his industry and positional discipline have made him difficult to leave out as the season moves on.
