Gattuso: My relationship with Lotito is very direct; player motivation is more important than individual ability

According to ANSA, Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso spoke in an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio about his relationship with Lotito, the Coppa Italia defeat to Mantova, and the team's recruitment.

Gattuso said: "My relationship with president Lotito is straightforward and direct. I am his employee, and when I see something I do not like, I point it out. He does the same. After we lost to Mantova, I received a strong reprimand."

Gattuso said: "The defeat against Mantova is still there, and we have not made up for anything. We were hit hard, and this defeat came at a great cost. For me personally, it still hurts a lot. However, we responded well in the following two league matches. I don't know if we have become used to seeing a crazy Lazio, and I hope that is not the case."

Speaking about the transfer market, Gattuso said: "I have great faith in these new signings. I also want to praise the players who insisted on coming here. For me, a player's motivation is more important than having a creative midfield leader or a player capable of scoring 10 to 15 goals." Finally, Gattuso spoke about the fans: "It is painful to see an empty stadium, because without fans, football is not football."