Lazio were unable to continue their run of free-scoring domestic victories on Sunday afternoon, held by Udinese. After the game coach Maurizio Sarri blasted owner Claudio Lotito for holding the side back because of the terrible playing surface at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
A goalless draw against Udinese not only denied the Biancocelesti the chance to continue their assault on the Champions League qualification places, but also allowed bitter rivals AS Roma to rise above them into fourth place in Serie A.
‘Sack me or fix the pitch’
“I don’t know what our president [Lotito] wants to do, but if this is the pitch [he wants to have], then he has to get another coach,” raged the former Chelsea, Napoli and Juventus coach to DAZN. Stating, “I don’t know how to play on the pitch here and we will go to play somewhere else.”
“I’m not nervous [that I might lose my job], it is just an observation. I make teams play with 700 passes per game and if this is [the quality of] the surface, they have to think of [getting in] someone else.”
Lazio hit by Immobile injury blow
The 63-year-old’s mood was impacted by watching star striker, and Lazio captain, Ciro Immobile limp off after just 30 minutes with an ankle injury, that is likely to see him miss the trip to high-flying Atalanta in Matchday 11.
“Unfortunately, after the injury to Immobile, the game was difficult, but we have to push through the difficulties,” claimed Sarri. “We will let 48 hours pass and do some examinations to see how the situation is, but we played to cautiously. That was obvious.”
“The team tried, but today we caught the worst possible opponent [in Udinese], because when you play three games in seven days, on unplayable ground and against such a physical team, the problem becomes bigger.”
However, the ex-Napoli tactician insisted his team will cope with the loss of Immobile should they need to.
“Last year we played without a striker,” Highlighted Sarri. With three attacking players forward and we did it well.”
“When it comes to certain players, it is difficult to replace them without a small negative affect, because they are players with strong numbers. We hope to suffer as little as possible [during any absence].”
