Sarri: ‘Lazio have new injuries, club must bring fans back’
Maurizio Sarri confirms two new injuries for Lazio in their last-gasp victory over Sassuolo, but warns ‘the club has to take some initiative’ to end the fan boycott and reinforce the squad.
The Biancocelesti had just two points in their last four Serie A games and were coming off Wednesday’s dramatic 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw with Atalanta.
They took just 80 seconds to break the deadlock here today with Daniel Maldini, cancelled out by an Armand Laurienté strike, but in stoppages Adam Marusic flicked in the Matteo Cancellieri cross to beat the rather wayward Arijanet Muric.
Sarri frustrated at Lazio difficulties
“There were some ups and downs during the match, but even without some important players, then losing Romagnoli and Cataldi too, the lads had a great final half-hour with real heart. I think the win was fully deserved, even if we left it late,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia.
Some of Sarri’s changes were forced, as Danilo Cataldi went off with a muscular issue in the first half, then Alessio Romagnoli was replaced at half-time over a fitness issue.
“Cataldi felt his calf muscle harden, but it was caused by something else that we’ll identify tomorrow. Romagnoli had a similar issue, caused by a knock he sustained against Atalanta.”
Debutant goalkeeper Edoardo Motta made a double save at 1-1, giving some reassurance after Ivan Provedel’s season was ended by shoulder surgery.
“This is a team that can have the right attitude, every now and then we get it wrong, but not that often. We’ve had to deal with enormous difficulties and some of them are still going, as playing in an empty stadium is depressing, but the players have reacted well to that too.”
The atmosphere in the Stadio Olimpico remains a worrying situation, because the boycott continues from the ultras in protest at President Claudio Lotito, so there were only 5,000 people in the stands.
It is the fourth home game in a row with this boycott, so how can the supporters be convinced to come back?
“I think the club has to take some initiative to bring them back, because this is too much of a difficult situation for us,” replied Sarri.
“I am not a director, but this situation has been dragging on for a while, so they know more than me. They will know better than me how and where to intervene.”
The coach said many times he only stayed at Lazio because he made a promise to the fans, so how does he see his future at the club?
“I don’t know, as soon as the season ends and we’ll have a few meetings, then I’ll be able to tell you. A team that has to be up to the standards of the history of this club must be reinforced, that’s for sure,” concluded Sarri.
“If I stayed only for the fans, then right now even I don’t know why I’m still here, because the fans aren’t here either,” the coach added in a press conference.
This result means that Lazio climb back ahead of Udinese into the top 10, and are within a point of Sassuolo in ninth.