Zaccagni admits Lazio’s Coppa Italia exit is a punch to the gut

Lazio's Coppa Italia campaign ends after a 2-0 defeat to Mantova in the round of 32, prompting striker Mattia Zaccagni to acknowledge the shock loss and warn that the club must officially regroup ahead of the league next season properly.

Lazio were eliminated from the Coppa Italia after Mantova beat them 2-0 in the round of 32. The result ends any chance of progressing further in the tournament.

Mattia Zaccagni told Lazio’s official Notizie Calcio channels, as relayed by Alfredo Pedullà, “We took a punch in the face. We are sorry, we worked very well in this month and a half, we hoped to start collecting something.” The quote was also published on the Stampa A‑ A+ platform, where he is sometimes referred to as Pedull.

He continued, “We started badly, we made many mistakes. We must be more courageous, take more risks on the field, and conduct a conscience examination; it is not possible to lose a match like this.” The striker stressed that such a defeat cannot be accepted.

Zaccagni said the squad will roll up its sleeves this week as the league begins, noting the good chemistry in training and insisting the setback must not knock them down. He urged an immediate restart to recover momentum.