Lazio travel to Venezia on Saturday evening with the chance to turn an encouraging opening month into a brief place at the top of Serie A. Before the international break, Gennaro Gattuso’s side can move into first place, at least until Roma and Inter meet at the Stadio Olimpico.
A chance to underline Lazio’s start
- Lazio face Venezia at 20:45 on Saturday 19 September, in one of the early fixtures of Serie A’s fifth round.
- Gattuso’s team have collected 10 points from their opening four league matches and arrive after drawing at home to Milan.
- A win in Venice would send Lazio temporarily above the rest of the division before the meeting between the current leaders, Roma and Inter.
- The fixture is Lazio’s final commitment before the national-team pause, giving the club an opportunity to carry its momentum into the break.
The early return has drawn attention, although Paolo Di Canio believes the foundations of the campaign are clear. The former Lazio forward sees Gattuso as the figure who has settled a previously difficult environment, doing so with directness rather than sentiment.
Di Canio sees hunger in Gattuso’s group
Di Canio pointed to Gattuso’s public response to sporting director Angelo Fabiani on the club’s objectives. In his view, the coach’s warning not to raise supporters’ expectations was not an attack on the director, but an effort to protect a squad still finding its place.
“Gattuso has calmed the situation in a decisive and straightforward way, without acting paternalistic or looking for pity,” Di Canio said at the Sanremo Padel Experience. “When he says that people should not be given illusions, he understands what it means to put pressure on these players now.”
He noted that many of the arrivals are new to Italian football’s wider audience, but believes they have joined Lazio with a clear desire to advance their careers. “They may not be well known, but they are players who want to get somewhere, who are hungry and know they have been handed a major opportunity.”
For Di Canio, that individual motivation can give the team a reliable competitive edge. Players seeking to establish themselves at Lazio, and perhaps earn interest from leading Italian or European clubs, have a reason to maintain their standards every week.
“Some will have more personality than others and some will have stronger character,” he said. “But when you assemble a side with players like this, you know their effort and attitude will not let you down. They have the qualities to surprise people, with a coach who knows how to set them up.”
An empty Olimpico and a travelling support
Lazio’s league start has unfolded against an unusual backdrop in Rome. Home matches at the Olimpico have been affected by supporters’ protest against the club’s ownership, leaving sections of the stadium sparsely populated. Away from the capital, however, the same backing has been far more visible.
Di Canio suggested the contrast may be disorienting for recent signings, particularly those who expected the scale of support normally associated with Lazio at home.
“Some players may find it strange,” he said. “They have joined a major club, perhaps from very different settings, and they may have expected 45,000 people and a full Curva. They have not experienced that at home yet.”
He recalled Lazio’s following at Udinese, where the travelling section created an atmosphere that, in his words, made it feel as though the Curva had been moved to Friuli, complete with singing and displays.
That support can become another target for a group trying to extend its strong start. “A player can think that, if the team performs well, perhaps those fans will return,” Di Canio said. “Beyond the challenge on the pitch, there is also the task of bringing the public back to the stadium.”
