Gattuso Given Selection Headaches as Lazio Defender Returns From Injury | OneFootball

Lazio centre-back Danilho Doekhi will make a swift recovery after a hand injury, sparking a run-off in the backline.

Danilho Doekhi Became an Immediate Starter at Lazio

The 28-year-old, who joined the club on a free transfer in July, started alongside Oliver Provstgaard in the first four competitive games of the season: The Coppa Italia defeat to Mantova and the Serie A wins over Bologna, Genoa, and Udinese.

Josip Sutalo & Diogo Leite Debuted Against AC Milan

Ahead of Saturday’s clash against AC Milan, the Dutchman suffered a hand injury that required surgical intervention. In his absence, Josip Sutalo made his full Lazio debut before leaving his place on the pitch for full debutant Diogo Leite, who took part in the final stretch of the thrilling 2-2 draw.

Doekhi Recovers From Surgery

According to several sources, including Il Corriere dello Sport, Doekhi will be available once more this Saturday, when the Biancocelesti travel to Venezia for their final fixture before the international break. As the Roman newspaper notes, the Dutch defender’s return will give Gennaro Gattuso a selection headache, as he’ll have to choose between him and Sutalo.

Doekhi vs Sutalo

While Sutalo boasts a more prominent profile thanks to his stint at Ajax and his recent World Cup experience with Croatia, Doekhi has been impressive in his early outings (except for the Mantova game). Therefore, it remains to be seen who will get the nod this weekend.

Provstgaard vs Leite

Likewise, Gattuso also has two left-footed defenders to choose between for the other centre-back slot in the shape of Provstgaard and Leite. But at this stage, the Dane hasn’t given the manager any reason to drop him from the lineup. That being said, the Calabrian tactician could be tempted to reunite Leite with Doekhi, as the two men had played side-by-side at Union Berlin in the four previous campaigns.

Lazio Now Have Open Ballots at the Back

This is a drastically different situation from the last two seasons, when Mario Gila and Alessio Romagnoli were the undisputed starters, with the other Lazio defenders serving as mere backups.