A "disappointing" start for Lazaro with Lazio

Rome (AFP) – Gennaro Gattuso’s official tenure as Lazio coach began with an early exit from the Coppa Italia, as his side suffered a 2-0 defeat to second-tier Mantua at the Stadio Olimpico.

Lazio, the runners-up in last year’s edition and seven-time cup champions, had lost the final last season to Inter 2-0 in May.

Gattuso, 48, took charge of Lazio last month, four months after stepping down as Italy national team coach following a third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup. The Azzurri were eliminated in the European playoff final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties (4-1, after a 1-1 draw).

Gattuso, one of Milan’s standout players between 1999 and 2011, winning the Serie A title in 2004 and 2011 and the UEFA Champions League twice (2003 and 2007), has yet to replicate that success in his managerial career.

The 2006 World Cup winner managed his beloved Milan from November 2017 to May 2019 without achieving significant success. The same pattern repeated at Napoli (2021-2023) and French club Marseille (2023-2024), among several other teams he has overseen.

Lazio, whose angry fans are currently boycotting home matches in protest against the club’s owner, is the only top-flight side among the 12 Serie A clubs competing in this round to be eliminated from the start.