Gattuso Defends Lazio Players Following Lotito & Fabiani Scolding

Lazio’s campaign risks spiralling into chaos before it even begins, as Gennaro Gattuso tries to shield his players from accusations made by club president Claudio Lotito and sporting director Angelo Fabiani.

The Background

The Biancocelesti won all six of their pre-season friendlies, but played the vast majority of their games against lower-tier opponents. In their first competitive match of the season, they were eliminated from the Coppa Italia after suffering an embarassing 0-2 defeat at the hands of Serie B side Mantova.

Claudio Lotito & Angelo Fabiani Irritated With Lazio Players

According to Il Corriere dello Sport and Il Messaggero, this shocking result earned the players an unpleasant meeting with Fabiani. With Lotito still on vacation in Cortina, it fell to the sporting director to express the management’s disappointment with the defeat, as well as the players’ attitude.

Gennaro Gattuso Disagrees with Lazio Official

The sources reveal that the 64-year-old accused the squad of complacency, an allegation they brusquely rejected. Later in the day, Gattuso defended his men in a separate meeting with Fabiani, insisting that their attitude wasn’t the problem, but they simply need to improve their game and avoid some of the tactical blunders they committed during the game against Mantova.

The head coach had already taken the same stance in his post-match interviews, shielding the players, even in the heat of the moment.

Mattia Zaccagni Also Defended Lazio Teammates

Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni had also made it clear that he and his teammates have been working hard since the start of the pre-season camp, and none of them complained about the scorching heat. This was perhaps a dig aimed at the management’s decision to hold the entire summer camp in Rome, instead of finding a cooler and more suitable location for training.