The news that Maurizio Sarri quit Lazio came in the wake of three consecutive Serie A losses, four across all competitions. It was a record the esteemed and successful head coach would not condone from himself or his players, and his departure from the club confirmed this.
Sarri’s football management career stretches back to 1990, and the Biancocelesti were the 21st club he managed during his distinguished career. Despite the 65-year-old manager never seeming entirely happy during his two-and-a-half-year stay in the Italian capital, he produced results for most of his time there. After replacing fan-favourite Simone Inzaghi, he led Lazio to fifth in Serie A in his first season and in 2022-23, he improved that position further, with the Rome club ending as Serie A runner-up, albeit distantly behind a rampant Napoli side.
The second-place finish marked Lazio’s highest final position in the league since Sven-Göran Eriksson’s Serie A-winning campaign in 1999-2000 and meant Sarri’s team qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since Inzaghi’s Lazio finished 4th in 2019-20.
Ironically, the same Champions League would prove the last straw for the surly manager. After taking a surprise 1-0 first-leg lead into the away fixture with Bayern Munich in the Round of 16, Lazio capitulated to the German giants’ attacking masterclass. Two Harry Kane goals and a third from veteran Thomas Müller eliminated the Biancocelesti from the tournament.
Lazio’s elimination from the Champions League was followed by Inter’s as the Nerazzuri were knocked out by Atletico Madrid the following week, while Napoli lost to Barcelona. This means there is no Serie A representation in the tournament’s quarter-finals for the first time in seven years. According to the best offshore betting sportsbooks, the favourite remains Man City (7/4), with fellow EPL team Arsenal joined by Real Madrid at 5/1. Bayern Munich is listed at 6/1.
Although the Serie A side was the underdog against Bayern, their first-leg win at the Stadio Olimpico deceived many, but probably not Sarri. The Italian tactician kept complaining about the team’s depth and quality in some areas of the pitch, and not all players were happy with his management. When Udinese visited Lazio in a Serie A fixture barely two weeks ago, Sarri seemed a solitary, almost disinterested figure at Stadio Olimpico.
The manager’s demeanour was mirrored by the players’ attitude on the pitch, and Udinese’s win in the capital seemed inevitable. Despite dominating possession, Lazio could not make any positive inroads against an opponent with only three Serie A wins this season.
The 1-2 result was fair as Udinese forged the better chances throughout the match. Lazio looked sloppy, weak, and with no more motivation, and it was not surprising to hear President Claudio Lotito blame players a few days later, accusing them of having betrayed the Tuscan tactician.
Although Maurizio Sarri tendered his resignation less than 48 hours after the Udinese defeat, the Champions League elimination probably showed him he could no longer develop the team. It’s no coincidence that the Italian coach reportedly told his players in the dressing room after the Udinese game that he would resign as they were no longer following him. By doing so, he forfeited a wage payout of nearly €5m.