Maurizio Sarri reflected on Lazio’s loss to Torino and touched on the wider context surrounding their match with Inter, referring to Napoli’s possible Scudetto success.
Should the Biancocelesti drop points to Inter and Napoli beat Salernitana, Luciano Spalletti’s side would be confirmed as Serie A champions. The schedule has been altered slightly to reflect this and many fans across the country will now be keeping a close eye on the clash between Lazio and the Nerazzurri.
Sarri’s Lazio currently sit second in the Serie A table and have a serious shot of securing a Champions League finish, but they’ll need to maintain momentum in the final stages of this season, with a number of teams vying for the other top four spots.
Speaking in a press conference, Sarri first discussed the positives from Lazio’s loss to Torino.
“We are in the decisive phase of the season, lessons are of little use. A setback is heavy. With Torino we weren’t at our best physically, I said that straight away, but also mentally.
“If this is a normal small down after a good period we will react immediately, if instead the drop is due to the fact that we thought we had already reached the goal it is a problem.
“Tomorrow, we face a team that are extraordinary in individual matches. We must forget the first meeting, which we won but also suffered. We must play as a collective and not as individuals.”
He touched on the condition of his squad.
“We’ve worked a lot on unloading, the team should benefit from that. But it’s hard to separate the physical aspect from the mental one.
“Last week’s workload, combined with the change in temperature, we paid for it against Torino, I didn’t say that to protect the team, I mean it.”
The Italian coach spoke about the condition of star striker Ciro Immobile, who was involved in a car crash earlier this month.
“From a mental point of view, he is calm, physically he is growing. He has no major pains in training. He’s a player we’re counting on a lot.”
Sarri was asked about Napoli’s possible Scudetto success should Lazio drop points.
“We have to think about our game. The table has been set for the party, for our defeat. We must do our best. Napoli will celebrate anyway, but hopefully as late as possible.”
He was also asked if he expected to have seven points more than Inter at this stage of the season.
“In our league there are four teams stronger than us, then we play for it. We did something more than expected, the others something less.
“We must not think about the table. Inter have regained confidence and enthusiasm, they are strong. Then there are also risks that concern us.”
The Biancocelesti coach commented on the fact that his team have only lost back-to-back games in the league once this season.
“I hope that this trend continues, that it shows this capacity to react. It depends on what we thought before Torino.
“If we feel we are playing something we took for granted, it is a very complicated path. We have to stay inside the game with great conviction, which is clearly different from being cocky.”
Finally, Sarri was asked how Lazio are preparing to play three games in six days.
“You have to give everything in every game, who jumps jumps, who bursts bursts. Then there are things I will never agree on. In Italy the forecast for tomorrow is that it will rain, but it could also be 33 degrees, how the f*ck can you play at 12.30?
“There are all the conditions not to make a good show, then you get angry because you collect less than in other leagues. If we don’t sit down with the government to rebuild the stadiums, we’re dead. Italian football can return to good levels, but the feeling is that they will sink us again..
“We are in a historical moment that also allows for an ascent, but with a different path. I’m lucky to be of an age… others will see the future. I say this because I am in love with football, I see a possible glimmer to return to good levels, but there is a set of laces that will make us sink further.”