According to Corriere dello Sport, four centre-backs at Lazio are competing for two starting spots, with Doekhi close to making his return.

Lazio's centre-back pairing remains undecided. Following the departures of Mario Gila and Romagnoli, the club currently has four centre-backs competing for two positions, with the pecking order still in flux. Gattuso deployed Doekhi and Provedel as starters in the club's first four competitive matches this season, including their Coppa Italia debut and the first three league games. After the transfer window closed, Lazio signed Diogo Leite on a free transfer, while Sutalo gradually regained fitness following a calf injury sustained upon arriving in Rome. Doekhi suffered a hand injury in an accidental collision during Thursday training and underwent surgery, with his absence giving other centre-backs opportunities. In the debut against AC Milan, former Ajax defender Doekhi made his return, Diogo Leite came off the bench late in the match, and Sutalo was substituted in the 84th minute due to fatigue.

Diogo Leite will compete with Provedel for a starting place.

The Portuguese defender is the club's latest free-transfer acquisition and, given limited alternatives, has been deployed at right centre-back. Given his strong foot and positioning, Diogo Leite will compete directly with Provedel. Provedel, after spending eighteen months as a backup, has earned the club's confidence and has been promoted to compete for a place. The final centre-back pairing will be determined by daily training and match performance. So far, Lazio has received positive reviews, aside from a poor display against Mantova. The team kept clean sheets against Bologna and Genoa, conceded a goal from Karlström at Udinese, and then conceded two goals from AC Milan—issues attributable more to the opposition's strength and overall pressure than individual errors. Gattuso's preference and the possible combinations of the four centre-backs will take time to determine.

Their first real test comes against Venezia, with Doekhi nearly ready to return.

Against Venezia, Lazio will face their first genuine challenge. Doekhi is close to a return. He underwent "internal plate and screw fixation surgery for a spiral fracture of the second metacarpal bone in his left hand" on Friday. Doekhi was not included in the squad against AC Milan, but Lazio is optimistic he can feature in the Venezia match at Stadio Penzo. The Dutch defender could play with protection. In the past, Lazzari and Murgia suffered similar injuries and both returned to action within days. Tactical training for the Venezia match will run from tomorrow through Thursday. After Gattuso gave the entire squad a full day off, training will resume at 6 p.m.; from tomorrow through Friday's final pre-match session, training is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Doekhi and Diogo Leite were teammates at Union Berlin for four years; Sutalo aims to hold onto his place.

Sutalo is the only Lazio player who participated in the last World Cup, and he is determined to secure his place. In his debut against AC Milan, Sutalo impressed, using his experience to withstand the intensity of this match at Stadio Olimpico. Given that Diogo Leite only officially joined a week ago, it appears only Provedel is nearly certain of a starting spot. However, in the long term, he too must earn his place through performance. All four centre-backs have opportunities to play, and any could end up on the bench. Doekhi and Diogo Leite were teammates at Union Berlin for four years. Typically, barring emergencies, Gattuso will field a pairing of a right-footed and left-footed centre-back. Nothing guarantees a starting place, and this competition will motivate all four to perform at their best, both in winning duels against opposing forwards and in competing with their teammates for the starting positions.

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