Gattuso frustrated with smear campaign: Am I racist, homophobic and sexist? Are we crazy?

Gennaro Gattuso hit out at critics after landing in Italy on his return from Singapore, where he agreed terms with Peter Lim to become Valencia's coach until 2024.

It was after that long flight when he found out that former Valencia vice-president Miguel Zorio had accused him of being a sexist, racist and homophobic in a statement.

Through the Marea Valencianista platform, Zorio has criticised Lim and publicly announced that he has made an offer to buy the majority of Valencia's shares.

It was through that same website were Zorio recalled that Gattuso, "was not hired by Tottenham [Hotspur] for his comments against women, homosexuals or black players."

The post included a link from the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport in which it was reported that Spurs turned him down for those reasons in June 2021.

"I really can't see women in football," Gatusso said when from AC Milan vice-chairman Adriano Galliani shared his role with Barbara Berlusconi in 2013.

"I don't like to say it, but that's the way it is."

Back in 2008, when he plied his trade for Rangers, Gattuso openly expressed his opposition to same-sex marriage.

"Marriage should be between a man and a woman and same-sex marriage is very strange to me," he noted.

Five years later, Gattuso questioned Kevin-Prince Boateng's decision to storm off AC Milan's match with Pro Patria due to racist insults.

"How many times have white players been booed?" wondered Gatusso.

"It's happened to me, but I don't make a big deal of it."

In an interview for La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian coach responded to all the aforementioned accusations.

"My story speaks for me," said Gattuso.

"Being racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist? But, are we crazy? This is the time to calm down.

"The phrase about women, uttered at the time of Barbara Berlusconi's entry into football, was intended as a defence of Galliani's work, which had been interrupted.

"Racist? Then why would I have signed [Tiemoue] Bakayoko when he was at Napoli? I have never had anything against black players, many of whom have been my teammates and friends.

"What do these gentlemen who talk about racism know about me, these lions who hide behind a keyboard or behind a nickname?

"I come from a small village in Calabria, Corigliano Calabro. I made myself [what I am]. As a child I went to play in Scotland, for Glasgow Rangers.

"Do you know what it can mean for a 'southerner' to be outside Italy and show everyone that he can get away with it? I built my career on hard work, commitment, sweat. Nobody gave me anything. And I will no longer allow anyone to hinder my work with terrible accusations."