Gattuso's Lazio Enjoy Best-Ever Serie A Start After Hajduk Stint

Former Hajduk Split coach Gennaro Gattuso has made a remarkable start to life back in club football, guiding Lazio to the best opening to a Serie A season in the Roman club's history. After nine rounds, Lazio have eight wins, one draw and 25 points, level with Inter at the top of the table.

The 48-year-old Italian, who led Hajduk between June 2024 and June 2025, had resigned as Italy's national team coach just a few months ago after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. His previous club spells in Greece, Spain, France and Croatia were often described as unconvincing, with British outlet Get Italian Football News noting he would typically "arrive, make a lot of noise and leave."

During his year in Split, Gattuso oversaw 43 matches, winning 20, drawing 14 and losing nine. Hajduk finished third in the Croatian top flight, two points behind champions Rijeka, and were knocked out of the cup in the quarter-finals, with no silverware to show for his efforts.

According to The Guardian, Lazio inserted a clause in Gattuso's contract guaranteeing an extension if the team finished 12th or higher – a reflection of the low expectations surrounding his appointment. Instead, Lazio have won all but one match, the sole blemish being a 2-2 draw with Milan, and most recently thrashed Sassuolo 6-2 away despite missing two penalties.

The British newspaper also highlighted Gattuso's man-management, including convincing Mattia Zaccagni to stay at the club and getting the best out of Kenneth Taylor and Tijjani Noslin. Despite the on-field success, home attendances have been unusually low this season due to a long-running dispute between organised fan groups and club president Claudio Lotito, with many supporters preferring to travel to away games. After the win at Sassuolo, Gattuso said: "I closed my eyes and imagined a full Olimpico."