Lazio has decided to consolidate its central defense around Josip Sutalo and Oliver Provstgaard, two young talents who are making themselves noticed both on the pitch and in the national team. Coach Gennaro Gattuso, while praising the entire battery of central defenders available, underlined that the Croatian-Danish pair represents the future of the team.
Sutalo, who arrived in Rome at the end of August with a calf problem that had slowed down his preparation, was spared by the Calabrian coach during the rest period against Monza. Having returned to form at the beginning of September, Gattuso immediately placed him in the starting lineup, achieving excellent results with Roma against Milan and Venice. The midfielder then replaced Provstgaard in the match against Monza and prepared to return to the starting lineup against Juventus at the Turin Stadium.
Provstgaard, born in 2003, has shown consistency and growth during the last break. Among the eight defenders who started the last break, only four had continuous minutes: Frattesi, Isaksen, Sutalo and, above all, Provstgaard. The young Dane didn't miss a single minute of the game, showing remarkable discipline and endurance. His presence was seen as a long-term investment for the team, with transfer potential in sight.
Gattuso reiterated that he can count on Diogo Leite and Doekhi if necessary, but declared that the starters for the next matches are Sutalo and Provstgaard. The pair have already shown that they have room for improvement, but have also highlighted quality and potential that could make the difference in Serie A and European competitions.
With Roma ready to challenge Juventus in Turin, the central defense is preparing to test its new pairing. If the performance is positive, it could consolidate the position of Sutalo and Provstgaard as pillars of the Roman defense, offering the club a solid base for future challenges.