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'When I die, I want to go out on a football pitch' - Napoli boss Gattuso reveals struggles with auto-immune disease
The Italian head coach has confirmed he has been suffering from a flare up of ocular myasthenia
Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso has revealed his struggles with an auto-immune disease, while claiming that "when I eventually die, I want to go where I lived, on a football pitch.".
Gattuso wore an eye patch on the touchline during Napoli's 2-0 defeat to Lazio in Rome on Sunday, and also sported specialised glasses as his team drew 1-1 with Torino in their final game of 2020 on Wednesday.
The former Milan and Italy midfielder suffers from an auto-immune disease known as ocular myasthenia.
It is a condition that causes the muscles that control the eyes to weaken and the eyelids to droop, while it can also lead to severe fatigue and double vision.
Nevertheless, Gattuso has carried on, but the Napoli head coach concedes the condition has taken its toll its recent weeks.
"I admit I've not been myself for the last 12 days," Gattuso told a news conference, having skipped media duties for the club's previous outing.
"I want to make an appeal to all those, especially kids, who look in the mirror and see something that looks odd or not quite right: life is beautiful. Embrace it all.
"The lads suffered too seeing me like this, I know that, but I'm alive. I've had myasthenia for 10 years, this is the third time it has flared up this badly, but it'll pass and my eye will return to normal.
"It's not just that it looks bad, this condition makes you feel really exhausted, plus seeing double 24 hours a day really takes it out of you. Only a crazy person like me would keep going.
"However, this is my life and there are worse things. I know some out there already assume I've got a month left to live, but I can assure you, it's fine. When I eventually die, I want to go where I lived, on a football pitch."
Napoli enjoyed a strong start to the season, though have tailed off in recent games, winning just one of their last five outings in all competitions.
The draw with Torino leaves the Partenopei sitting fifth in the Serie A standings, nine points behind leaders Milan, though with a game in hand on the Rossoneri.
Gattuso's men will return to action after the winter break when they take in a trip to Sardegna Arena to face Cagliari on January 3.
