Lazio knocked out of Coppa Italia by Serie B Mantova 2-0 in Gattuso's debut
Serie B side Mantova stunned Lazio 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in the Coppa Italia round of 32 on 16 August 2026, ending Gennaro Gattuso's first official match in charge and eliminating the competition's reigning finalists at their earliest exit in 63 years.
Match summary
Gennaro Gattuso's tenure as Lazio coach began with a 2-0 defeat to Serie B side Mantova in the Coppa Italia round of 32 at the Stadio Olimpico on 16 August 2026. The loss eliminates the biancocelesti from the competition they had reached the final of just three months earlier. Goals from Ruocco in the 75th minute and Cajazzo in stoppage time condemned Lazio to their earliest Coppa Italia exit since the 1963/64 season, when Cagliari eliminated a side coached by Lorenzo. The match drew only 5,528 paying spectators, with over 1,600 additional guests in a near-empty Olympic stadium.
Gattuso was without several players: Romagnoli (fatigue), Tavares, Isaksen, Cataldi, Gigot and Patric. Lazio had chances to take the lead through Dele-Bashiru and Dia in the first half, but neither could convert. Mantova threatened goalkeeper Mandas on a couple of occasions before the break, and the first period ended 0-0. After the interval, Gattuso made substitutions to shake up a sluggish side, but Ruocco struck with 15 minutes remaining, converting an assist from the left. Cajazzo added the second in stoppage time, rolling the ball into an empty net.
Gattuso's reaction
The coach faced the media on Sport Mediaset immediately after the match and accepted full responsibility.
It's a beating, I put my face forward because it's right to do so, but now we have to stay quiet and pedal. We knew we had a lot of work to do, now it hurts and we have to apologise, but we go forward. We went out against a Serie B team, we take responsibility, but the boys are giving it everything, even if it's not enough. This is a nice punch in the face, we felt it and we hope to be able to work with tranquillity.
Speaking later on Lazio Style Channel, Gattuso expanded on the performance and rejected suggestions that the transfer market or missing players were to blame. He noted that the squad had radically changed its style of play and that 40 days of training sessions were not enough to absorb so many concepts. He added that it was too easy to talk about absentees or an empty stadium, and that the team had done things by halves.
- Lazio miss chances through Dele-Bashiru and Dia; 0-0 at halftime
- Ruocco scores for Mantova from a left-wing assist, 1-0
- Cajazzo seals 2-0 for Mantova with an empty-net goal
- Gattuso apologises to fans; supporters call for his resignation on social media
Fan anger and historical context
The defeat provoked an immediate backlash from supporters on social media. One fan wrote on X that Gattuso should resign that evening, a sentiment widely shared. Another user referenced Gattuso's failed stint as Italy coach at the World Cup playoffs, saying he would not trust him with a must-win knockout match. For Mantova, the victory was their first over Lazio in 10 previous meetings across friendlies, Serie A and Serie B. The Lombard club, who as recently as 2019 were in Serie D, advances to the round of 16, where they will face the winner of Palermo versus Lecce.
What comes next
Gattuso confirmed the schedule after the match: a recovery session on Monday, rest on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the team begins preparing for the Serie A opener away to Bologna. The coach, who replaced Maurizio Sarri in the summer, now faces the task of rebuilding morale before the league campaign begins.
