Gustav Isaksen has used Denmark duty to set out his target for the weeks ahead: regain the sharpness that deserted him after summer surgery and become a more substantial part of Lazio’s promising opening to the season.
The winger joined the national squad after a difficult start in Rome, but believes his condition is moving in the right direction. Lazio have taken 13 points from their first five league matches and sit level at the top with Inter and Roma, a position Isaksen admits has exceeded expectations.
Quick facts
- Isaksen underwent a minor operation for pubalgia during the summer.
- He missed Lazio’s full pre-season programme while recovering.
- His only Serie A start came away to Udinese.
- Cancellieri returned to the side for the following matches against Milan and Venezia.
- Denmark begin a four-match international spell away to Norway, with Erling Haaland among the opponents.
- Lazio have 13 points after five rounds, alongside Inter and Roma at the summit.
Isaksen said the operation itself was not major, yet the recovery required time. Missing the athletic preparation, he feels, helps explain why he did not begin the campaign at his usual level.
His start at Udinese did not settle the issue. It was his lone appearance from the opening whistle, and Cancellieri was selected again for Lazio’s next two fixtures, against Milan and Venezia.
Still, the Danish international sees progress from one match to the next. “I am getting back into condition gradually,” he said. “I can feel that I am improving with every game.”
The national-team break offers another test rather than a pause. Denmark face Norway away first, a demanding assignment against Haaland, before completing four scheduled matches during the international window.
At club level, Isaksen has taken encouragement from Lazio’s collective work while making no secret of his personal frustration. “Being top with Inter and Roma is genuinely surprising,” he said. “I am very proud of the team, but I would have wanted a better start to the league for myself.”
He wants to return to the form he had before the summer break. For Lazio, that would mean recovering a player whose quality has appeared only intermittently so far, while also strengthening the standing of an asset the club could one day turn into a capital gain.
Gattuso has offered the player reassurance rather than pressure. Isaksen said their conversations have been positive and that the coach has told him to take the necessary time to be fully ready.
Once he wins back his place, the winger hopes his involvement will grow considerably. Lazio’s early points total has given the side a strong platform; Isaksen’s next task is to ensure he can contribute more consistently to the chapter that follows.
