Lazio began the 2026-27 Serie A season with a 1-0 victory at Bologna as Davide Frattesi made an immediate impact from the bench to give Gennaro Gattuso a winning league debut.
Frattesi, who joined Lazio from Inter during the summer, scored in the 59th minute at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, just five minutes after replacing Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Boulaye Dia created the opening with a clever flick, allowing Frattesi to race through and finish past Lukasz Skorupski.
The result gave Lazio three points after a difficult start to Gattuso’s competitive reign. The club had been eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Mantova in their previous competitive fixture, making the opening league match an important opportunity to respond.
Cagey first half at Dall’Ara
The opening period was closely contested, although neither side produced enough quality in the final third to take control.
Lazio had 54% possession to Bologna’s 46% during the first half and registered five attempts compared with four from the hosts. Both teams managed only one shot on target before the interval.
Mattia Zaccagni came close early on when he received the ball from Dia and sent a right-footed effort narrowly wide. Bologna responded through Nadir Zortea, whose effort took a significant deflection before going behind for a corner.
Lazio also had a goal ruled out for offside after Dia finished a move following a long pass from Danilho Doekhi.
The match was increasingly physical, with five yellow cards shown before half-time. Bologna manager Domenico Tedesco was also dismissed for his protests on the touchline during his first Serie A match in charge.
Mandas keeps Bologna out
The match opened up after the interval, with Bologna producing its clearest opportunity shortly after the restart.
A short corner created space for Lewis Ferguson to deliver into the area, where Jens Odgaard met the cross with a header. Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas reacted sharply to make a full-stretch save and keep the score level.
That save proved significant because Lazio soon found the breakthrough.
Dele-Bashiru was replaced by Frattesi in the 54th minute, and the new signing needed only five minutes to make his mark. Dia’s deft touch sent Frattesi into the area, where he finished first time beyond Skorupski to put Lazio ahead.
It was Frattesi’s first competitive appearance for Lazio and his first goal for the club.
Bologna unable to find an equaliser
Bologna attempted to respond with a series of attacking changes, bringing on Federico Bernardeschi, Jonathan Rowe and Artem Dovbyk among others.
Bernardeschi came closest to an equaliser when his free-kick was tipped onto the post by Mandas, who produced another important intervention to preserve Lazio’s advantage.
Bologna continued to search for an opening in the closing stages but could not find a way through a Lazio defence that held firm.
The final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory for Gattuso’s side and a difficult start for Tedesco in his first competitive match as Bologna coach.
For Lazio, the victory provides an immediate response to the Coppa Italia disappointment and gives Gattuso three points from his first Serie A match in charge. Frattesi’s decisive introduction also gives the midfielder an early platform to establish himself following his move from Inter.
