Lazio have responded to reports in the Italian press that coach Maurizio Sarri is set to leave the club at the end of the season with a club statement, confirming that the former Chelsea, Napoli and Juventus boss is contracted until 2025 and that ‘rumours’ linking him with an exit before then are lacking in evidence.
Lazio have endured a tough run of results in recent weeks. The Biancocelesti had inflicted a surprise 1-0 defeat on Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 first leg back in February, but Sarri and his team have won just one of their five matches since then.
Results since then include a 2-0 victory over Torino, but also four losses against Bologna, Fiorentina, Milan and Bayern Munich, the latter of which resulted in the team’s elimination from the Champions League.
Lazio currently find themselves in ninth place in the Serie A table, 11 points shy of Bologna in the Champions League positions after 27 matches.
Reports from both La Gazzetta dello Sport and Il Corriere dello Sport on Thursday suggested that Lazio and Sarri are set to part company at the end of the current campaign.
The stories also included details about a rumoured falling-out between Sarri and the club’s President Claudio Lotito.
Lazio have since released an official statement, reiterating that Sarri has a contract with the club until the summer of 2025. Lazio also denied allegations that they have already begun to identify potential new coaches.
“Following the news that was circulated in some media outlets regarding alleged assessments of the coaching staff being underway, SS Lazio confirms, even if not particularly necessary, that it has total trust in coach Maurizio Sarri, specifying that the coach has a contract that expires in 2025.
“Therefore, all rumours linking other coaches to SS Lazio are lacking any evidence,” Lazio wrote on their official club website.
✍️ Nota della Società
☞ https://t.co/rR7sNeYXT5 pic.twitter.com/iQjqaezCZO
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) March 7, 2024
He’s a loser