Gattuso: ‘Nuno Tavares worthy of Real Madrid, but inheritance up in smoke’
ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 04: SS Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso during the SS Lazio training session at Formello Sport Centre on August 04, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Gennaro Gattuso admits his life was built at Milan, but he creates a strange metaphor for Nuno Tavares at Lazio. ‘He should be at Real Madrid, but his inheritance went up in smoke.’
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).
This can never be a normal fixture for Gattuso, who spent practically his entire playing career in the Rossoneri jersey, then also had an experience on their bench as coach.
However, there are more Milan fans in the Stadio Olimpico this evening than Lazio supporters, as the boycott continues against President Claudio Lotito.
Gattuso facing his beloved Milan
“I don’t read the papers, it’s better that way, so I concentrate on my work. I built my career at Milan, I had champions by my side, and that made it a lot easier,” Gattuso told DAZN Italia.
“The players need to put passion into the game, as we went out in the first round of the Coppa Italia, but the lads believe in what they are doing. If there is a little more enthusiasm today, that is thanks to the players.
“We analysed Milan, at times they can sit back with five in a row, then can hurt you on the counter-attack with their wingers, like Chukwueze with his crosses. At times they are aggressive, at others they sit deeper. We must have courage and show respect to them, but do things our way for a good performance.”
Nuno Tavares is 26 years old and has long been considered a potential talent, but one who simply cannot find any form of consistency, whether he’s at Benfica, Arsenal, Olympique Marseille or Lazio.
“I always said that Tavares is worthy of Real Madrid. He feels like someone who lost his parents young, received a big inheritance, and in five years it went up in smoke,” explained Gattuso.
“This is a player who ought to be at Real Madrid. He’s got everything it takes, he has pace, right foot, left foot. He is unusual, but after a match he needs his time to recover, but he’s a good lad, you need to get into his head and make him understand.
“He knows he has talent and could’ve had 10/12 years at Real Madrid with his qualities. You’ve just got to get him to understand.”
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