'I'm not enjoying it' - Gennaro Gattuso admits he is afraid despite Lazio's top spot after win over Udinese

Lazio have enjoyed a flawless start to the domestic season, securing nine points from their opening three fixtures. The latest success, a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Udinese, has cemented their position as early Scudetto contenders. However, Gattuso is far from relaxed. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, the 48-year-old tactician expressed his inherent fear that success could lead to a drop in intensity. He is determined to keep his players grounded, even as the excitement builds around the Stadio Olimpico following their impressive run of form.

"I'm not enjoying it because I have this defect, you have to stay on the ball, I'm always afraid that after victories the team can go too high in spirits, I should enjoy it more. Even as a player I was like this, I will have time to enjoy it, then I will enjoy it in ten years when I retire. I'm made like this, I go looking for a bit of complicated situations, I knew where I was coming," Gattuso said.

The transition under Gattuso has been marked by a significant tactical shift. The manager noted that the team has moved away from the rigid structures of the previous regime to adopt a more flexible and aggressive approach. According to Gattuso, the players have shown immense character in adapting to these changes, especially after suffering a setback in the cup earlier in the summer. The win in Udine was a testament to their resilience, as they overcame a second-half deficit to snatch all three points through goals from Davide Frattesi and Albert Gudmundsson.

Reflecting on the progress made since his arrival, Gattuso explained: "The mentality and the desire. We dismantled everything compared to last year, when there was a master of the 4-3-3, and we are trying to do something different. The lads are doing things well. What we are trying to propose is not easy, but the team is alive. Compliments to the boys who are extraordinary for how they work, compliments to the referees because we don't see scenes or waste of time, we are seeing a good championship."

Off the pitch, Gattuso's relationship with Lazio president Claudio Lotito has been a point of interest for many observers. Known for their strong personalities, the pair seem to have found a functional working rhythm that benefited the club during the summer transfer window. Gattuso praised the efforts of the hierarchy in securing signings that many thought were beyond the club's reach.

Gattuso described his dynamic with the president in typical fashion: "With Lotito we have a bread to bread and wine to wine relationship, I believe he is an intelligent man, then everyone is made in their own way. With great difficulty we made a market that we thought could be minor, we looked for guys who wanted to come and have a particular season, I have to thank both him and Fabiani, it seemed we could do little but some guys arrived who wanted to come at all costs."

The upcoming fixture list brings an emotional challenge for Gattuso as he prepares to face AC Milan. Having spent over a decade with the Rossoneri as a player and later serving as their head coach, the fixture is always a significant event in his calendar. Despite his deep personal connection to the Milanese club, Gattuso remains professional about the task at hand.

"It was always a race in which there were sixty thousand people and there won't be. We miss the fans. I remember after the final with Steaua the parade together with my father with the big flag, when I wore the Milan shirt I was ultra chief, president, coach, player, it was a dream that lasted 12 years, all those joys are not forgotten, but now I do another job and we hope to make some points against the team of my heart," Gattuso noted.