Maurizio Sarri feels the second Bayern Munich goal ‘robbed Lazio of hope’ just before half-time, but insists this Champions League campaign ‘has been positive.’
The Biancocelesti had won the first leg 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to a Ciro Immobile penalty, but the captain wasted a golden opportunity to give them the lead at the Allianz Arena with a diving header wide on Mattia Zaccagni’s deflected cross.
Moments later, Harry Kane broke the deadlock instead, followed by Thomas Muller redirecting a Matthijs de Ligt volley from six yards on a corner with the last kick of the half.
Bayern and Kane added a third after the break and Ivan Provedel fingertipped a Muller attempt onto the upright to keep the scoreline down, but Lazio did not get a single shot on target in the 3-0 defeat.
“We had played well in the first half against a team that, unlike recently, played like a real Bayern. It was to be expected, these teams often raise their game in this competition,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
“We stayed in the game until the second goal, we had the chances to take the lead. I don’t think 1-0 would’ve robbed us of hope, but the second goal saw us go into the locker room very disappointed and without the conviction we could turn it around.”
Considering Dayot Upamecano was sent off in Rome and Lazio had the opportunities to add more goals in that first leg, does Sarri have a thought in the back of his mind that they should’ve had a bigger lead?
“This thought has been in my mind for weeks, because coming here with a different result would’ve been another story. Conceding one goal wouldn’t have sapped our hope.
“Having said all of that, there is a difference in level of quality.”
Sky Sport Italia pundit Fabio Capello had complained that Sarri should’ve changed his system from 4-3-3, as it would’ve been better suited to neutralising Bayern Munich when they already had the first leg advantage.
When this proposal was put to him, Sarri shrugged it off with a bitter chuckle.
“I wouldn’t even dream of changing system. There is another intensity also because you need three or four touches to do what your opponents can do in two. That much is obvious.”
Despite the Round of 16 exit, has this been a positive Champions League campaign for Lazio?
“Of course it is positive, a team like ours that manages to play in a tournament of this level being competitive with more victories than defeats, that is positive.”
Now the issue becomes seeing if Lazio can get back into the Champions League for next season.
“We are borderline there too, unfortunately. We have not played to the best of our abilities in Serie A so far this season, so we’ll try to concentrate on that and climb back up.”
Sarri has never been able to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, going out in the Round of 16 with Napoli, Juventus and now Lazio.
Garbage team