Lazio defender Danilho Doekhi underwent surgery and missed the home fixture against Milan, his club confirming the operation in an official communication that ruled him out of a match Gennaro Gattuso's side ultimately could not win.
The timing is significant. Lazio sit top of Serie A after four matches — three wins, one draw, six goals scored, three conceded — and the draw against Milan represents their first dropped points of the 2026-27 campaign. Doekhi had been a functioning part of that early-season structure, and his absence from the squad for this particular fixture coincided with the moment the defence was breached twice.
The match itself ended 2-2. Lazio led by two goals at the interval — Cancellieri and Noslin both on the scoresheet — before Milan's Moreira scored twice in the second half to level. Gattuso, speaking after the final whistle, described the atmosphere created by a fan boycott as reminiscent of the COVID period, when matches were played without supporters. Zaccagni suggested the empty stands may have contributed to the goals conceded, though neither comment was directed specifically at Doekhi's absence.
Before the surgery sidelined him, Doekhi had registered one assist across three Serie A appearances this season, carrying an average match rating of 7.05 — a number that places him comfortably within the reliable bracket for a central defender at this level. A separate Serie A appearance, recorded with a 7.00 average rating, rounds out his early-season contribution. His AI overall of 75 out of 100 reflects a player operating near the upper tier of defensive competence without yet reaching the elite threshold.
The arrival of Diogo Leite in the squad for the Milan match signals that Gattuso has cover, but cover is not equivalence. Doekhi's return date is unconfirmed. For a Lazio side that has conceded only three goals in four league matches, keeping that defensive discipline intact while their most consistent centre-back recovers will be the quiet test of the weeks ahead.