Three Things We Learned From Inter Milan vs Lazio: Sack Me if You Dare! | OneFootball

On Sunday, Lazio were outplayed and outclassed by a superior Inter Milan side, exactly how Maurizio Sarri had predicted.

There are some occasions where a match plays out exactly how the manager envisioned. But the problem for the Biancocelesti is that their head coach had foreshadowed their demise in his pre-match press conference, which served as one big spoiler.

So while this is usually the part when we deduce some conclusions based on the action on the pitch, the match didn’t really reveal anything that Sarri hadn’t already spilt. Hence, we’ll dedicate this column to discussing some of the takeaways we can draw from this most unusual campaign, and the increasingly awkward dynamics at the club.

Is Sarri Demotivating the Lazio Players?

While Sarri was never the most cheerful of the lot, he certainly had his own sort of charm that inspired many players in the past. However, the 66-year-old’s words have carried very little encouragement at this stage.

Now it’s easy to understand where the Tuscan tactician is coming from. After all, he has always been too frank for his own good, and we all know he’s reciting undeniable facts. Sarri believes he’s doing the noble job of shielding the players from all the pressure, while shifting the blame to the hierarchy for all the sorrow befalling the club these days.

However, let’s put ourselves in the players’ shoes for a moment. Imagine hearing the manager whom you work under, telling anyone who would listen that you and your teammates aren’t good enough to compete against your supposed rivals.

So instead of challenging these players to defy the odds by encouraging them to believe in themselves, he’s simply inviting them to accept their limitations. Painting their contest against Inter as a David vs Goliath duel did little to boost the Aquile’s confidence.

The result? Conceding a goal after two minutes, and resigning to an ‘expected’ defeat.

Sarri Pushing the Envelope with Lazio Hierarchy

At a time when Serie A managers are dropping like flies, one might imagine that Sarri would at least try to pretend he’s keen to keep his job. But on the contrary, he’s now displaying a newly acquired devil-may-care attitude.

The former Chelsea and Juventus boss has hardly passed up on an opportunity to aim a dig at Claudio Lotito and Angelo Fabiani in recent press conferences, constantly reminding them about the transfer ban fiasco, whether with a light-hearted joke or a sly remark. He also reiterated the fact that he’s only still around because of his love for Lazio and the respect he holds for the fanbase.

On Sunday, Sarri hardly looked devastated by the 0-2 defeat, as he shared a quick laugh with Cristian Chivu at the final whistle. Afterwards, he caused some controversy by urging Lega Serie A to bring foreign referees, as the Italians are no longer ‘up to the task’. This warranted a swift clarification from the management, who distanced themselves from these comments.

At this point, the tactician knows Lazio won’t sack him (can they even afford to appoint a replacement?), and he appears to be enjoying his somewhat untouchable aura.

So let’s see how this perplexing situation will unfold between now and the end of the season, when the two parties will most likely part ways, as neither one appears too thrilled with this bizarre collaboration.

Mattia Zaccagni, What a Player

Mattia Zaccagni is good. In fact, he’s so good we half expect Sarri to urge him to find a better club, you know, one of those clubs that have other good players.

The captain was almost unplayable at San Siro, as the Inter players kept dragging him down to the ground, as it was seemingly the only way to stop him. Three of them got booked for it, while the referee was too soft with others.

With all due respect to players like Matteo Guendouzi, Nuno Tavares, and Alessio Romagnoli, Lazio are capable of replacing them (if they lift the ban, at least), while Zaccagni is one of the very few stars at Formello that would leave an irreplaceable void.

So for Lazio’s sake, let’s hope that this depressing campaign doesn’t drive the captain away from the club.