Reports from Italian newspaper Il Messaggero suggest Maurizio Sarri is closer to leaving Lazio at the end of the season. The Biancocelesti have been eliminated from the Champions League, following a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, and find themselves with just the Coppa Italia to play for.
Il Messaggero write that Sarri has already made a serious assessment of the present situation when commenting after Lazio Champions League elimination: “In the Champions League, it’s more than positive, with our potential we’ve done the maximum. In the league, however, we should have done more. I don’t know if my cycle is over, it’s a consideration to be made with the club. I have a contract until 2025, although time is irrelevant in football. Surely we don’t have a young team, so something will have to be restarted next year.”
The article continues:
“A part of this Lazio squad was already at the end of its cycle, in terms of age, physical condition, and motivation. Sarri understood this more than anyone else and was left disappointed after last summer’s transfer window. Now it remains to be seen if the coach and Lotito want to start anew together or if they will present their cards (resignation or severance) for a divorce, after many, too many upheavals and mutual disappointments in the last part of the journey. The president doesn’t want to hear about it now: “I haven’t called anyone, nor am I thinking about Tudor or Palladino. Balances are done at the last minute,” he repeats when presented with young candidates.
We will discover this, but even Mau seems unconvinced about staying, tired for a long time, at least since August. The interest from the Middle East has cooled, as has the path that leads to Milan, but if Napoli and Fiorentina were to call, you can be sure they would find an open door.
There is also a bit of disappointment at this moment. Sarri expected more recognition from the environment for last year’s second place. Too many harsh criticisms of his repetitive play, rigid formation, and a team that never manages to impose its dominance. Certainly, this couldn’t be done against Bayern, a team built with over a billion, with a turnover 10 times higher than that of Lazio: “But if we had played like this in the other league games, we wouldn’t be where we are. Let’s start again from the order and the spirit of Monaco, nothing is entirely lost yet,” yesterday’s speech at Formello, hoping for another miracle. Another 70 million came in from participating in the Champions League. Many fans don’t understand that Mau’s departure would sound like a blatant downsizing.
Because hardly another coach will arrive with his curriculum, which has represented the maximum so far for Lotito’s Lazio. The former Conceicao and Scaloni are destined to remain just a dream, at most there is Italiano around the corner. However, there are still too many 15 defeats (already surpassing the total of both previous seasons of Sarri in Rome, 13 defeats) in 38 matches, something at times didn’t work even within the dressing room. Lazio has lost 40% of the matches played, the Commander has been “betrayed” by his leaders, and now the return to the Champions League remains a mirage. “Thanks to the League, the schedule will be tough until the end,” the coach repeats. Even if last season took off once out of Europe (8 wins in the last 12 matchdays), this time the gap is a burden, 11 points behind Bologna in fourth place and with so many competitors in between.
There are still 33 points available, but the Biancocelesti must almost double their average to light a spark. And the six defeats in the last 10 games promise nothing good: Lazio was +4 against Roma, now they find themselves -7 behind. Forty points in 27 matchdays give a final projection of 56.2, it would be the second-worst result of the last decade: 54 in 2015/16 with Pioli fired and Inzaghi taking over to close the season. The inevitable sacking occurred after a lost derby, this terrible omen must also be avoided.”
