Gattuso warns Juventus boss Pirlo he is ‘screwed’ and tells ex-team-mate playing reputation not enough as manager
GENNARO GATTUSO reckons Andre Pirlo could be in for sleepless nights as new boss of record Serie A title holders Juventus.
The midfielder, who enjoyed a glittering career in Turin, was announced as the club’s new manager on Saturday following the shock sacking of Maurizio Sarri.
Despite leading Juve to their 36th Serie A champions title, the former Chelsea boss was given the chop after Lyon knocked his side out of the Champions League on Friday.
And the club’s dramatic exit from the competition was followed by scenes of players consoling a visibly upset Cristiano Ronaldo who looked dejected after the game.
Pirlo, 41, was only recently announced as Juve’s Under-23 manager on July 30.
However, the retired midfielder, who won four titles in Turin, has since agreed to take up the managerial hot seat at the Serie A champions.
Gattuso, 42, who played alongside Pirlo at AC Milan and in Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team, reckons his old Azzuri teammate won’t be getting “much sleep”.
You have to study, to work hard, and you don’t get much sleep
Gennaro Gattuso
And the Napoli boss has warned his former Milan midfield partner that he could be “screwed” despite his illustrious playing career at the Old Lady.
Gattuso was speaking after his side were knocked out of the Champion’s League round 16 by Barcelona on Saturday, following their 4-2 aggregate defeat.
The Napoli boss told Sky Italia: “Well he’s screwed now. That’s the job.
Gattuso's and Pirlo's AC Milan Trophy Wins
Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo played together at AC Milan from 2001 to 2011. The pair won nine trophies
2 Champions League Trophies
2002-2003
2006-2007
2 Serie A Titles
2003-2004
2010-2011
1 Italian Super Cup
2004-2005
1 FIFA World Club Cup
2007
2 UEFA Super Cups
2003-2004
2007-2008
1 Italian Cup
2002-2003
“He’s lucky to be starting at Juventus, but this profession is one where a great playing career is not enough.
“You have to study, to work hard, and you don’t get much sleep.”
Pirlo, who played for Juve between 2011 and 2015, made 164 appearances for the Turin club.
And during his decade-long career at AC Milan, who he joined in 2001, the Italy star won nine trophies.
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These include two Serie A titles and a FIFA World Club Cup playing alongside his tough-tackling, midfield partner Gattuso.
Gattuso added: “Being a player and being a coach is really not the same thing at all.
“It’s a totally different profession and we can’t learn it just from books, we need to get in there and work hard. It’s a different world.”
