News Focus
- Maurizio Sarri insists Lazio should boycott the Rome Derby if forced to play at midday on Sunday
- The Aquile lost the Coppa Italia Final to Inter Milan after two costly defensive errors
- Sarri served a touchline ban and watched the defeat from the stands
- The coach suggests his future at the club is uncertain and could be mutual
- The Derby della Capitale clashes with the Italian Open tennis final at the same sports complex
Maurizio Sarri has launched a scathing attack on Serie A organisers. He insists SS Lazio should refuse to play the Rome Derby if officials force them to kick off at midday on Sunday.
The outburst comes after a painful defeat in the Coppa Italia Final. Inter Milan beat Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, crushing their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League through silverware.
The Aquile entered the match as clear underdogs. They had suffered a heavy 3-0 league defeat against the same opponents just seven days earlier. Matters worsened when Adam Marusic directed Federico Dimarco’s corner delivery into his own net. Shortly after, Nuno Tavares lost possession near his area, allowing Denzel Dumfries to set up Lautaro Martinez for a simple finish.
Sarri could only watch from the stands. He served a touchline ban, leaving assistant Marco Ianni to direct operations from the dugout.
“We lowered our press in the first half because we noticed Inter become less aggressive after the break,” Sarri told Sport Mediaset. “They cannot maintain that intensity for the full ninety minutes.”
He added: “We organised ourselves well, but we gifted them two goals. That made everything harder. We created chances through Noslin and Dia, but we failed to score. We knew Inter had better technical quality. We hoped for a different outcome tonight.”
Patric played in midfield to cover for Nicolò Rovella. The Italian midfielder has missed most of the season through injury and has only trained properly for ten days. Rovella appeared at half-time after Patric suffered a calf problem.
“I honestly hoped the Final would reach extra time,” Sarri admitted. “But Patric’s injury forced our hand at the interval.”
The defeat ends Lazio’s European dreams for next season via the cup. Now only a top-six finish in Serie A will secure Europa League football. Inter’s Champions League qualification means fifth and sixth places gain entry, while seventh qualifies for the Conference League.
Regarding his own position, Sarri remained cryptic. “I have no interest in discussing my future right now. If there are talks happening, they involve both parties,” he stated. His comments suggest he might consider walking away, not just the club sacking him.
He expressed sympathy for his players and supporters. “I feel sad for the lads. They looked upset in the dressing room. I apologise to the fans who returned in large numbers. We had a great run to reach this Final, but we faced a superior opponent who deserved victory.”
One bright note saw supporters end their boycott of home matches. They had stayed away for months to protest against President Claudio Lotito, not the team or coaching staff.
However, Sarri now threatens to boycott the upcoming Derby della Capitale against AS Roma. Local authorities want the match played on Monday evening. Lega Serie A prefers Sunday at 12:00 local time. This clashes with the Italian Open tennis final at the nearby Foro Italico complex.
“I will come on Monday,” Sarri declared. “But if they schedule the derby for Sunday midday, I will not attend. They can play without us. If I were club president, I would not bring the squad. We would accept point penalties. It makes no difference.”
He continued: “The League makes incredible errors. They arranged the Turin Derby during the ATP tennis finals in Turin. Now they schedule the Rome Derby during the Italian Open. Nobody apologises for these mistakes. If I made three or four errors daily, I would lose my job. Five teams are playing for ninety million euros in Champions League revenue. You cannot force them to play at midday. This is not football.”
All five Serie A matches involving Champions League contenders must kick off simultaneously to ensure fairness. However, the Rome Derby’s proposed Sunday slot creates a logistical nightmare with the tennis event taking place in the same sports complex.