Gennaro Gattuso may have built a great career for AC Milan and the Italian national team, but his spell in Glasgow with Rangers still isn’t forgotten in his home country. This weekend saw the Milan derby, and next weekend Pedro Caixinha takes his Rangers team to Celtic Park to battle Brendan Rodgers’ men.
Caixinha joined Rangers in March and his first experience of the Scottish premiership was watching from the stands as Celtic beat Rangers 1-1. Stuart Armstrong put Celtic ahead, but a late equaliser from Clint Hill levelled things up.
World Cup winner Gattuso has given an interview to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport this weekend, and when speaking of big rivalries, the Old Firm derby wasn’t left aside.
After commenting on the match between Inter Milan and Milan, he was asked about Rangers and Celtic.
“There, it’s half the religion, you can’t compare. I lived matches instinctively, but go over to Glasgow: the fans, the club and the players born there give you crazy feelings.”
He was also questioned about which derby would he have liked to play: “River-Boca at the Bombonera. Before going to Sion I had reached an agreement with Boca, but the kids were too young, and finally I decided to avoid. But the desire has stayed with me”.
Having joined Rangers from his youth side Peruzzia in 1997, Gattuso spent two seasons at Ibrox before being sold to Salernitana in 1999 for €4.7m. He’s still married to a Scottish woman.
The 39-year-old is currently the manager of Pisa, who he led to promotion to Serie B last season, but are currently in the relegation zone and should be back to the third division again.
Rangers travel to Celtic Park on Sunday, and there’s no Pisa match on that day… so one old Ibrox hero will surely be cheering them on from Italy.
