'A huge relief!' – Andrea Pinamonti breaks silence after scoring maiden Lazio goal

Lazio forward Andrea Pinamonti marked a major personal milestone on Sunday afternoon, sweeping home his first goal for the club to secure a 3-1 victory over 10-man Monza. The strike sealed three points for the Aquile, keeping them joint-top of the Serie A table alongside Inter with 16 points.

Pinamonti's late point-blank finish followed early goals from Nuno Tavares and Gustav Isaksen at an empty Stadio Olimpico.

Speaking after the match, the 27-year-old admitted the goal felt like a massive weight off his shoulders.

Addressing reporters in his post-match press conference, Pinamonti conceded that physical shortcomings delayed his early-season impact under head coach Gennaro Gattuso. "There is a lot in this goal. It is a huge relief for me," Pinamonti revealed.

"In the first few games, I didn't give my full contribution, I knew it. I arrived late in terms of fitness, and it has been a difficult summer for me."

"I was behind, especially because of the coach's style of play. Now, thanks to this break, I've had the chance to get some minutes, and I am getting better and better."

Pinamonti praised the positive atmosphere within the squad, dismissing any negative pressure while discussing his positional battle with Tijjani Noslin, who started ahead of him and forced Lorenzo Lucchesi's red card. "The team played well from the start, and I didn't feel any pressure," Pinamonti explained.

"With Noslin, it is healthy competition; we get along very well. We push each other to always do better."

"The coach's game is very demanding, so the more you train, the more you improve. I hope this can be the first goal of a long run."

With Lazio enjoying a stellar start of five wins and one draw from six Serie A fixtures, Pinamonti believes squad unity will remain vital for sustained title contention.

"All matches are tough, and today was too. But we got it right straight away," Pinamonti concluded.

"Our strength is the group, there is a calm atmosphere and we are working hard. If we maintain this, we can achieve great things."