Gattuso: ‘Lazio were very lucky, but I wouldn’t be here without trouble’

Gennaro Gattuso stated that Lazio were 'very, very lucky' in their 2-0 victory away at Venezia. He added that he "would never have come here if there wasn’t all this trouble," especially after the club's difficult summer. Despite low expectations and an ultras boycott, Lazio now sit joint top of the table with 13 points, level with Roma and Inter, following four wins and a draw against Milan. Christos Mandas was instrumental in the win, saving a penalty and crucial chances, before Mattia Zaccagni scored from the spot and Tijjani Noslin sealed the victory with a header.

Gattuso acknowledges Lazio's fortune

"I can only thank my players," Gattuso told Sky Sport Italia. "We went out in the first round of the Coppa Italia, faced 50 days of extreme heat in pre-season, yet they gave me everything. Today, we were lucky. Venezia played excellently in the first half; a 2-0 lead for them would have been deserved. Our initial approach was wrong, but we improved after the break. This is part of the process, and we know there's much to work on. These lads train hard, and a first-half performance like today won't be enough if we want to achieve something significant. We were truly fortunate today."

Lazio have exceeded expectations this season, winning four of their five matches and drawing 2-2 with Milan. "The league table means little right now. To truly surprise people, we must perform consistently. Today, we were often outnumbered defensively, losing possession and needing to cover vast distances," Gattuso commented. "The players have five days off now. We'll regroup with enthusiasm, focusing on improving our mentality and overall progress."

Several players, including Mandas, Rade Belahyane, and Noslin, have seen a resurgence this season. Zaccagni ended a nearly year-long Serie A goal drought. "When I see a player like Belahyane put in the effort, who apologized in the first few weeks for struggling, and I told him to be patient and he'd get there, it's rewarding. Seeing players eager to learn is satisfying," Gattuso said. He drew parallels to his own early days at Milan, emphasizing the need to connect with players' minds and hearts in the modern game, though he dislikes players who aren't willing to work hard.

While other coaches have cited difficulties at Lazio, such as transfer bans and fan boycotts, Gattuso embraced these challenges. "Honestly, if there wasn't all this trouble, I would never have joined Lazio. I chose this. I'd been approached before, three times, and refused President Lotito. I knew it was a mess and the environment wasn't ideal, but I took the job after speaking with former Nazionale teammates who seemed hungry. I sensed players here were eager to work. We haven't achieved anything yet, but we're content with our current position. We have 13 points; we need 27 more to feel secure."

According to Opta, this is Lazio's best Serie A start in history, based on three points per win. "When I'm older, with my grandchildren, I might reflect on my achievements. For now, I must keep pushing forward," Gattuso concluded.