Gattuso: ‘Nuno Tavares worthy of Real Madrid, but inheritance up in smoke’ | OneFootball

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).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game, Genoa vs. Frosinone and Atalanta vs. Cagliari on the Serie A Liveblog.

UDINE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 07: SS Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Friuli on September 07, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

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

ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 16: SS Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso reacts during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Mantova 1911 at Stadio Olimpico on August 16, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

“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.”

ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 16: SS Lazio head coach Gennaro Gattuso during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Mantova 1911 at Stadio Olimpico on August 16, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

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.

ROME, ITALY – AUGUST 30: Nuno Tavares of Lazio runs with the ball during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and Genoa CFC at Stadio Olimpico on August 30, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“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.”