Gattuso’s Lazio era begins with shock Coppa Italia exit to second‑tier Mantova

Gennaro Gattuso’s first competitive match as Lazio manager ended in disappointment as his side were eliminated from the Coppa Italia with a 2‑0 home defeat to Serie B outfit Mantova. The 48‑year‑old, appointed in July after leaving the Italy job following the national team’s latest World Cup failure, saw last season’s finalists produce a flat performance in Rome. Gattuso, a two‑time Serie A and Champions League winner as an AC Milan midfielder, has yet to replicate that success in his coaching career, having previously managed Fiorentina, Valencia, Napoli and Marseille.

Lazio were the only one of twelve Serie A clubs involved in the round of 64 to be knocked out, a stark contrast to their run to last season’s final, where they lost to Inter Milan. The seven‑time Italian Cup winners struggled to impose themselves and were punished by a disciplined Mantova side, leaving Gattuso with immediate concerns at the start of his tenure.