Gennaro Gattuso states that Lazio is not feeling any pressure as they prepare for their match against Napoli this Sunday. He expressed his admiration for Massimiliano Allegri’s impressive career, stating he would be lucky to accomplish even a fraction of what Allegri has achieved.
This season, Lazio has emerged as a surprising contender in Serie A, having accumulated 28 points from their opening 10 games.
Since the implementation of the three-points-for-a-win system in the 1994-95 season, only four teams have previously reached this point total in their first 10 matches: Juventus (2012-13 and 2018-19), Roma (2013-14), Napoli (2017-18 and 2021-22), and AC Milan (2021-22).
Out of those instances, with the exception of Juventus in 2012-13, all teams won their 11th match, bringing their total points to 31.
The Opta supercomputer currently gives Lazio a 12.3% chance of winning the Scudetto, while Napoli has a mere 0.5% chance. However, Gattuso, who managed Napoli from 2019 to 2021 and secured the Coppa Italia, sees his team as the underdogs.
“It depends on perspective. We have no pressure, especially for tomorrow,” Gattuso said, as reported by Football Italia. “We recognize that we’re heading into a challenging environment against a strong team currently facing tough times. It will require humility and our best effort.”
He also noted that reaching 40 points is their first priority to avoid any risk of relegation before they can celebrate their initial goal.
“We have to take it one game at a time; we have 12 points to secure, and once we hit 40 points, we’ll celebrate reaching that goal,” he added.
NEXT MATCH #NapoliLazio AWAY 8.11.26 H. 12:30 https://t.co/2eR0MMY9EZ
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) November 4, 2026
While Gattuso has made an impressive start in his first season at Lazio, Allegri has struggled with Napoli. Allegri unexpectedly canceled his pre-match press conference just 10 minutes before it was scheduled, leading to speculation regarding his future as the team’s players entered a training retreat.
In the three previous encounters between Gattuso and Allegri, all while Gattuso was coaching Milan and Allegri was at Juventus, Gattuso has faced defeat each time.
“Max was my captain at Perugia and later my coach,” Gattuso remarked about Allegri. “History shows I haven’t beaten him yet. I aspire to achieve even a fraction of his success. I know he remains calm under pressure and knows how to navigate difficult moments effectively.”
Napoli has gathered 14 points in their first ten matches of the season (W4 D2 L4) and has not experienced this poor a start since the 2000-01 season, with a draw against Lazio threatening to match their worst start in terms of points since 2007-08.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Napoli – Kevin De Bruyne
De Bruyne, who has netted four goals in Serie A this season, is aiming to become the second midfielder to score five goals in the league during both 2025-26 and 2026-27, joining AC Milan’s Adrien Rabiot.
The Manchester City veteran has also scored three times in his last five Serie A matches, matching his total from the 18 previous games.
Lazio – Gustav Isaksen
Isaksen has scored four goals in his last five appearances in Serie A, as many as he managed in his previous 29 matches. He is just a goal away from equaling his best tally in a single Serie A season (five in 30 matches in 2025-26) and aims to score in three consecutive league games for the first time since a four-match streak between May and June 2023 with Midtjylland.
MATCH PREDICTION – NAPOLI WIN
The Opta supercomputer slightly favours Napoli in their home match, but signs don’t look encouraging for them. Napoli has lost their last four Serie A home games against Lazio, marking their longest home losing streak against any team.
Lazio is currently on a joint-longest away winning streak, with only their run against Empoli (six) being longer, alongside four consecutive wins against Genoa.
Additionally, Lazio’s ongoing six-match winning streak in Serie A is their best since the 2019-20 season when they secured 11 consecutive wins under Simone Inzaghi.
Lazio has won all five of their away matches this season; if they secure victories in their initial six away games, they would join Inter (2019-20) as the only teams to achieve this feat three times, having done so in 2002-03 and 2017-18.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Napoli – 42.4%
Lazio – 32.2%
Draw – 25.4%
Fan Take: This news is crucial for soccer enthusiasts, highlighting the shifting dynamics in Serie A. A pivotal match like this could reshape Napoli’s trajectory and add to Lazio’s unexpected success, making it a must-watch for fans eager to see how the season unfolds.
Source: www.soccernews.com
