​Lazio has finally introduced Gennaro Gattuso as their new head coach in a press conference held on Saturday, after he had effectively been acting as the club’s manager for more than a month while preparations were underway. The 48-year-old had agreed to replace Maurizio Sarri at the helm, and on Saturday he also got his first chance to meet the players who had arrived for pre-season just days earlier.
With club president Claudio Lotito reportedly in the United States, Lazio’s sporting director Angelo Fabiani formally presented Gattuso and explained how the two parties moved quickly to finalize the contract, noting that there was no need for drawn-out negotiations. Fabiani offered a concise introduction: “It is both a privilege and an honour to introduce Gennaro Gattuso. His career as both a player and a coach speaks for itself, and for us it is a source of great satisfaction. We reached an agreement immediately—there was no need for lengthy discussions. We thank him for accepting this role. I’ll keep it brief and leave the floor to Rino and your questions.”
Gattuso then faced the media, opening with his excitement about joining Lazio and acknowledging the club’s ongoing challenges. He explained that those difficulties had motivated him to accept the mission, viewing it as a compelling and meaningful challenge. “I’m proud to be here. Over the last three days, my staff and I have completed all the assessments, and I have very positive feelings. I already knew about the issues before accepting the job, from my conversations with the sporting director and the president. I know everything. I know this is a time to put on the helmet, keep pedalling and work hard. It’s up to me, my staff and everyone here, who have all made a great first impression on me, to work as hard as possible. I can’t do anything about the other issues. My only objective is to put a team on the pitch that honors Lazio’s glorious history. I’ve been close to joining Lazio on more than one occasion in the past. I could have come before. I won’t hide the fact that without these circumstances, I probably would have said no again. This is a challenge. I’ve already worked with some of these players. I know how I think and the kind of football I want to play.”
In his remarks, Gattuso paid tribute to his predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, while signaling a desire to move Lazio toward a more progressive style of play. “Hopefully our strength will now become the attack. I don’t want to talk about 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. I like a defensive line that steps up aggressively and plays higher. Maurizio is a fantastic coach and did an outstanding job, but we’ll try to do things differently. Now that Gila has left, I’ve asked for a little patience. We start on Monday and we’ll evaluate players like Gigot and the others. We don’t have a lot of money, so it’s right to take our time, spend it wisely and make as few mistakes as possible.”
Gattuso confirmed that his approach would be shaped around a balance of defense with an emphasis on more attacking intent, while acknowledging the practical realities of a limited budget. He also noted that he had already formed strong connections with some of the players he would be working with and that this familiarity would help him implement his philosophy more quickly. As the team prepared to begin training on Monday, Lazio’s new coach indicated that a measured, thoughtful process would guide their recruitment and development strategy, aiming to craft a side capable of honoring the club’s storied past while pursuing a more ambitious present.