Lazio are preparing face-to-face meetings with their two main candidates for the head coach role: Raffaele Palladino and Gennaro Gattuso.
Lazio & Maurizio Sarri Preparing to Part Ways
Club president Claudio Lotito will also meet with Maurizio Sarri, with both men keen to end their tumultuous collaboration. The Tuscan manager’s next destination should be Bergamo, as he’s close to reaching an agreement with Atalanta.
This would effectively release Palladino, who joined La Dea in November and succeeded in steering the team in the right direction, but it wasn’t enough to convince incoming Atalanta sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, who is instead determined to reunite with Sarri, having worked together for three years at Napoli.
Raffaele Palladino & Gennaro Gattuso Set for Lazio Meetings
According to Il Messaggero, Palladino is now at the top of Lazio’s managerial shortlist. The 43-year-old will soon hold a meeting with Lotito and the club’s other top officials. The Roman newspaper believes the same arrangement has been made for Gattuso, who is expected in Rome in the coming days or hours.
The legendary AC Milan midfielder is currently unattached, having resigned from his post with the Italian national team after failing to qualify for the World Cup. Il Corriere dello Sport has also confirmed the news, revealing that Lotito has already called the 48-year-old whom he admires. Gattuso has recently rejected an offer from Torino for financial reasons.
The Alternative Candidates on Lazio Shortlist
While Palladino and Gattuso are considered the frontrunners, they certainly aren’t alone in the race. The sources insist that Lazio sporting director Angelo Fabiani continues to push for Cagliari’s Fabio Pisacane, while Sergio Conceicao remains an interesting option, especially if he ends up leaving Al-Ittihad.
Moreover, the newspapers believe Thiago Motta remains in the background, while other fresh names have emerged, namely Hernan Crespo, who recently left Sao Paolo, and 40-year-old Italian manager Alessio Lisci, who has just managed to guide Osasuna to safety in LaLiga. Nevertheless, these profiles remain mere suggestions, with Lazio primarily focusing on Palladino and Gattuso.
So either we end up with solid prospect coach, or total failure of a coach who messed up every chance he ever got… and who doesn’t even live in Italy if I recall it right (there were some bold statements about moving out). God, be merciful.
… aaaand Fabrizio Romano just confirmed that it is Rino who won the race. Porco Dio! Mark my words – he will be sacked by February 2027.
I’d say before Christmas
Instead of Gattuso I woul take Italiano, Pisacane, Cuesta, Grosso, Gilardino, Klose and hell even Ballardini or bloody Vanoli or Baroni back.
Lotito put down the crackpipe!
Ballardini would be diabolical. 😆
I think even Guardiola cannot bring a good result under the poor strategy and the very limited resource in the market under the dictatorship of Lotito.
I’m not a fan of Gattuso, however, I have said to family/friends, being a Lazio fan requires tolerance and loyalty, we are not a team that win trophies often.
Plus we have an owner who is a true business man, low risk taker etc, till now, perhaps this is what has been needed to keep Lazio’s finances in check but what I have disliked is the selling of our quality players every few years.
We now have a very young team & will be interested in whom Lotito brings in. I would be sure Gattuso wouldnt of signed without some knowledge of the summar transfer market plan?