Lazio Hopes to Mirror Leicester City’s Unexpected Success, According to Sabatini
Sport Mediaset journalist Sandro Sabatini expresses that Lazio could be aspiring to replicate Leicester City’s stunning triumph in the Premier League following their impressive start to the Serie A season.
Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, Sabatini noted that no one would have wagered a single euro on Gennaro Gattuso’s team topping the league after 11 matches.
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Lazio remains unbeaten and currently leads the league with 29 points, marking the club’s best-ever point tally at this stage of the season. This achievement is a remarkable shift from the previous summer, when fans protested against club president Claudio Lotito’s management.
“Don’t ask me for predictions; I don’t believe I’m the right person for that,” Sabatini shared. “However, Inter is the strongest team, Roma is on par with Inter, and Lazio is dreaming of being the Italian Leicester.”
“It’s a delightful dream, filled with complexities. Without delving into the protests, the fans’ spirits were at an all-time low in mid-August, and now they are experiencing sheer joy. The president faced accusations of poor transfer strategies, but he has successfully brought in several excellent players.”
ROME, ITALY – NOVEMBER 01: Gustav Isaksen of S.S. Lazio celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Tijjani Noslin during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on November 01, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
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Sabatini Discusses Gattuso’s Impact and the Race for the Top Four
Gattuso returned to club management this summer after failing to lead the national team to the World Cup, and Sabatini believes he has effectively addressed his critics.
“He was perceived as a coach whose prime was behind him, yet he has revitalized players who were undervalued under Sarri.”
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 16: (L-R) Claudio Ranieri Manager of Leicester City and captain Wes Morgan of Leicester City show the trophy to the fans during the Leicester City Barclays Premier League winners bus parade on May 16, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
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Sabatini highlights Leicester City’s remarkable title win in 2016 as a parallel, noting that they started their season as 5,000-1 underdogs. While he acknowledges Inter and Roma as favorites, he anticipates Lazio to remain competitive in the Champions League race.
“Como sits in third place, although they had a challenging night at San Siro. Personally, I see Lazio as surprise contenders for the fourth position, putting significant pressure on three major clubs—Milan, Juventus, and Napoli—to secure a Champions League spot for next season.”
