Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso is “proud” that an incredible 5,000 to 10,000 Lazio fans made the trip to Mapei Stadium tonight for their Sassuolo match, a wildly passionate turnout given the year-long boycott of home games. This isn’t just a regular road game, it is the first midweek round of the season, and it is particularly unusual for a Lazio side that is out of Europe and crashed out of the Coppa Italia in the opening round.
The Fanatical Away Support That Defies Logic
Imagine boycotting your own team’s home games for over a year, only to then pack an away stadium on a Tuesday early evening. That’s exactly what Lazio fans are doing. Gattuso himself confirmed the team’s gratitude, telling DAZN Italia, “It makes us proud. Naturally, we need to be ready, as Sassuolo are a team who play well, systematically have four attacking players and go on the attack very quickly.” He added, “It’s a Tuesday early evening, we are grateful that they have come all this way to be by our side and hope to make them happy.” The atmosphere is set to be electric, feeling like a home game for Lazio, especially since Sassuolo ultras announced they’ll protest the kick-off time and cost by waiting outside for the first 15 minutes of the match.
Gattuso’s Brutally Honest Take on His Own Game
Lazio midfielder Reda Belahyane recently said he wants to copy Italy World Cup winner Gattuso’s playing style, but the coach’s response was classic Gattuso: self-deprecating and straight to the point. “If you have 11 Gattuso players in your line-up, you won’t win much!” he joked. For Gattuso, the real secret to success lies elsewhere. He elaborated, “I think we are working hard, we show unity and play as a team, both when attacking and defending. If we keep that up, we can go far, but if we try to be fancy, don’t help each other out or lose humility, we will struggle. That is the secret.” It is a clear message to his squad, emphasizing gritty teamwork over individual flair.
Respect For An Old Teammate Turned Rival Coach
Before tonight’s clash, Gattuso also took a moment to praise Sassuolo coach Alberto Aquilani, with whom he was teammates at Milan in the 2011/12 season, Gattuso’s final year as a player. “I have a great rapport with him,” Gattuso said. “Aquilani was always a very intelligent player and is carrying that on in his coaching career. He takes a lot of risks, is very positive, I feel like Sassuolo deserved more points than they currently have, and I am not surprised. I am sure he’ll have a great career.” It is a testament to the respect between the two coaches, even as they face off in a critical midweek fixture.
Tonight’s match against Sassuolo is more than just three points. It is a chance for Lazio to show that the unity and hard work Gattuso preaches are paying off, especially with thousands of fans traveling to back them up. If they can stick to their coach’s “secret,” who knows how far they can really go.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply