Gennaro Gattuso appointed Lazio head coach on two-year, €1.5m deal

Gennaro Gattuso has been appointed head coach of Serie A club Lazio on a two‑year deal worth a net salary of €1.5 million ($1.7 million), replacing Maurizio Sarri after a disappointing season that saw Lazio finish ninth and lose the Italian Cup final to Inter Milan. The club announced the appointment on Tuesday, nearly three months after Gattuso’s short stint as Italy national team coach ended with a World Cup qualifying play‑off loss to Bosnia‑Herzegovina.

For Nigerian fans who follow Serie A, Gattuso’s return to club coaching could shape Lazio’s fortunes this season. His defensive, hard‑working style—honed during his 13‑year playing spell at AC Milan, where he won two Serie A titles and the Champions League in 2003 and 2007—may make the team harder to beat but less entertaining. Lazio has had Nigerian‑linked players in the past, and a change in coaching style could affect their appeal to African talent looking to break into Italian football. The appointment also comes amid fan boycotts of matches protesting long‑time owner Claudio Lotito, adding pressure on the new coach to deliver results quickly.

Gattuso’s coaching record is modest: his only major trophy is an Italian Cup with Napoli in 2020, and his national team record includes six wins from seven matches before the playoff loss. He will need to turn around a squad that finished ninth and restore fan confidence. Will his appointment lift Lazio’s performance, or should supporters look elsewhere for exciting Serie A football?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/06/23/gattuso-returns-to-coaching-with-lazio-after-italy-debacle/