ROME, Aug 17 — Gennaro Gattuso’s reign as Lazio coach got off to a miserable start yesterday as last season’s finalists exited the Italian Cup with a 2-0 home defeat by second-tier Mantova.

The 48-year-old took charge of Lazio in July, four months after leaving his post as Italy coach after the national team missed out on a third consecutive World Cup.

As an AC Milan player between 1999 and 2012, Gattuso won two Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies, but he has yet to reach similar heights as a coach.

The 2006 World Cup winner has also managed Fiorentina, Valencia, Napoli and Marseille.

Lazio were the only one of the 12 Serie A clubs competing in the last 64 of the tournament to be knocked out.

Seven-time Italian Cup winners, Lazio lost last season’s final to Inter Milan in May. — AFP