Gattuso succeeded fellow Italian tactician Maurizio Sarri following his departure from Lazio by mutual agreement in 2026.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Lazio boss Gennaro Gattuso has applauded the impact of former Arsenal player Nuno Tavares at the Serie A club, saying the Portuguese ought to be playing for La Liga giants Real Madrid.
The former Italian midfielder hailed the 26-year-old left-back ahead of Lazio’s Serie A match against AC Milan while speaking with DAZN.
Arsenal signed Tavares for £8 million from Benfica in July 2021, but he struggled to make an impact in his first season under Spanish manager Mikel Arteta.
He was initially loaned out to Ligue 1 side Marseille and later had two other loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Lazio, before the Italian outfit signed him permanently from Arsenal a year ago.
Tavares has since made 28 appearances across all competitions for Lazio, contributing to the club’s ninth-place finish in Serie A during a challenging season that culminated in Sarri’s departure.
Meanwhile, Gattuso, who succeeded Sarri, has started the new season impressively, with Lazio winning three and drawing one of their first four league matches to move to the top of the table.
Tavares has started all but one of these matches, indicating that the new Lazio manager holds the Portugal international in high regard.
While praising the former Gunners defender’s contribution to Lazio, the 2006 World Cup winner said: “I have always maintained that Tavares deserves to be at Real Madrid.”
Gattuso added: “He reminds me of someone who lost their parents at a young age, inherited a fortune, and squandered it all within five years.
“This is a player who should be at Real Madrid. He possesses all the attributes: speed, a strong right foot, and a capable left foot.”
