Gennaro Gattuso. (foto: Getty Images)
Hajduk coach Gennaro Gattuso says he will leave Split with a full heart, speaks on Gorica clash, missed title chances, and his emotional connection to the club.
Hajduk Split coach Gennaro Gattuso addressed the media ahead of Sunday’s league match against Gorica, touching on his future at the club, the team’s recent struggles, and the emotional connection he has built in Croatia.
After a tough stretch that saw Hajduk lose ground in the title race with defeats to Istra, Osijek, and Dinamo, the team has fallen to third place in the SuperSport HNL.
“I came to this beautiful city with a smile, and I will leave it the same way,” Gattuso said. “These past 11 months have been unforgettable—difficult at times, but also full of joy. When I leave, it will be very hard because I’ve met people here who changed my life.”
Looking ahead to the match against Gorica, Gattuso praised their coach Mario Carević: “Mario has done a great job. He’s a young coach, has improved his team, and I can only speak positively about him.”
Gattuso also confirmed Silić would start in goal and explained the decision to leave Kalik out of the starting XI: “There’s no issue. It was a purely technical decision. He’s training well, nothing more.”
Asked about the recent Saint Duje feast and the prayers for a league title, Gattuso smiled but remained grounded: “We’ve been hit hard by recent defeats, especially the derby. But we’re obliged to give our best until the very end.”
On the controversial officiating and match scheduling, he called for improvements: “Matches should be played at the same time. Referees need better conditions to do their job professionally. The league has great players, but it needs investment in key areas.”
Gattuso also reacted to comments from Francesco Totti, who claimed he once stayed up all night playing cards before a Champions League final: “He exaggerated a bit—I went to bed around one. But even then, you don’t sleep much. I lived those matches even before kick-off.”
On Dinamo’s rumored new coach Mario Kovačević and the title race, he remained focused: “Our wish is that Dinamo or Rijeka drop points, but we have to focus on ourselves.”
Gattuso admitted training this week was not easy due to the recent loss to Dinamo but insisted the team is ready: “I saw some worried faces, but we trained well. We need to show that on the pitch.”
“The mentality against Dinamo was good,” he concluded. “I hope we show the same approach against Gorica. The defeat hurt, but we must lift our heads and keep moving forward.”