Sarri Rues Guendouzi’s Exit, Opens up on New Lazio Signing: “I Don’t Know Him”

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The Laziali

·8 January 2026

Sarri Rues Guendouzi’s Exit, Opens up on New Lazio Signing: “I Don’t Know Him”

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri was hoping to keep Matteo Guendouzi at his disposal, and admits he’s not familiar with Petar Ratkov.

Lazio Suffer More Injustice Against Fiorentina

The 66-year-old held a press conference (via Il Messaggero) following his club’s 2-2 draw against Fiorentina on Wednesday. The Biancocelesti were able to salvage a point thanks to an injury-time penalty converted by Pedro.

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Maurizio Sarri (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

However, they were once again livid by the officiating, as neither the referee nor the VAR spotted a stonewall penalty for a foul committed on Mario Gila in the first half. On the other hand, the VAR intervened in favor of the Viola, signalling a dubious spot-kick for the visitors following a minimal contact between Gila and Albert Gudmundsson.

Maurizio Sarri Baffled by Refereeing Mistakes Against Lazio

While Sarri didn’t launch a scathing attack at the referee to avoid further trouble, he noted that these weekly incidents against his team are hardly coincidental.

The incidents aren’t two or three or even four; the players feel frustrated. It’s a situation we have no influence over. If it’s something that can be resolved, it can’t be resolved by us. The situation is worrying. I thought I’d seen everything in forty years of football. I accept the level (of the referees in Serie A), but only if mistakes and favourable decisions balance each other out. There’s nothing we can do about it, but it’s hard to just shrug it off. Explanation? All the incidents go in one direction. I think the explanation is the same one you give yourself.

Sarri Laments Losing Matteo Guendouzi

After the match, Guendouzi bid the Lazio supporters farewell, as he’s about to finalize a transfer to Fenerbahce, much to Sarri’s dismay.

Guendouzi and Taty were important players. When offers come in with wages we can’t match or even get close to, the lads want to go. Guendouzi was one of the seven or eight players I thought I could build the team of the future around.

Contacting Giacomo Raspadori

On a related note, Sarri admitted speaking to Giacomo Raspadori, who was his favorite to fill the centre-forward role, but now appears set to join Roma.

I spoke to Giacomo, telling him that he’s a centre-forward and that he should play as a centre-forward. I didn’t conduct a negotiation with Raspadori.

Sarri Has No Idea Who Petar Ratkov is

On the other hand, Lazio have decided to replace Castellanos with RB Salzburg’s Ratkov, who has already landed in Rome. However, the manager admitted he doesn’t know anything about the 23-year-old Serbian.

I don’t do scouting, I don’t follow the Austrian league, he’s a player I don’t know. He’ll certainly be a good player if the club signed him. This isn’t a criticism: I don’t know him and that’s normal, because I don’t have time to watch the Austrian league. It’s no coincidence that clubs have seven or eight scouts monitoring leagues; Chelsea had thirty.