Back to the Future: Maurizio Sarri’s Second Act at Lazio | OneFootball

Lazio began the 2024-25 season in a state of disarray. Maurizio Sarri had departed in March 2024 due to disagreements with the locker room and family problems, plunging the club into turmoil. Igor Tudor was appointed to stabilize the team, guide them through the remainder of the season, and potentially lay the groundwork for the next.

However, this plan quickly unravelled as Tudor resigned just two months later, leaving Lazio back at square one and prompting questions about the club’s direction and ideal leadership.

Following Tudor’s departure, Marco Baroni took the helm after a single season with Hellas Verona. Expectations for Lazio heading into the 2024-2025 season were not particularly high. It was widely believed that a Scudetto challenge was out of reach, despite some preseason predictions placing other teams, like Milan, in higher positions.

Nonetheless, Lazio was generally anticipated to secure European qualification through their league performance – especially after their strong start. They finished seventh in 2023-2024, earning a UEFA Europa League spot due to Serie A’s coefficient ranking, which granted the league a fifth UEFA Champions League berth. The season prior, under Sarri, they had remarkably finished second.

A Season of Decline & Missed Opportunities

Lazio’s performance saw a significant downturn towards the end of the 2024-25 season.

After a fantastic start that positioned them as UEFA Europa League favourites and strong contenders for European qualification, their momentum stalled. They were eliminated from the competition at home by Bodo Glimt, the champions of the Norwegian league, whose stadium holds fewer than 9,000 fans.

Even before this disappointing exit, their form was not stellar. A humiliating 5-0 loss to Bologna, coupled with draws against teams like Venezia, Torino, and Udinese, did not inspire confidence. Barely scraping past Viktoria Plzen also did little to reassure supporters.

Following their dismal Europa League exit at the hands of Bodo Glimt, Lazio failed to bounce back, with a loss to Lecce on the final day of the season serving as the disappointing culmination, confirming their absence from European football the following season.

The Return of Sarri

Fast forward to the post-season, and Marco Baroni has been sacked amid a widespread managerial reshuffle impacting many of the top-half Serie A teams.

Baroni promptly moved from Lazio to a new role at Torino. His replacement? None other than Maurizio Sarri, making a return just a year after his initial resignation.

Sarri’s previous departure was not a sacking; he left of his own accord, citing that he had “taken the available players as far as he could and that they had ceased playing for him”. He was also a vocal critic of the club’s transfer policy during his first tenure.

For Sarri to return to a club he walked out on, a significant shift in direction must have occurred. Lazio President Claudio Lotito expressed this sentiment, stating, “Maurizio Sarri has returned home. His return is a choice of heart, conviction and vision. With him, we want to resume a path that was interrupted too soon, aware that together, we can bring back enthusiasm, identity and ambition.”

This statement suggests that the Lazio President is now more inclined to support Sarri’s vision for the club. It is plausible that missing out on European football under Baroni served as a wake-up call for Lotito, especially given the considerable financial repercussions for the club.

Lazio now finds itself in a period of transition. While Sarri is back, the landscape has changed. The key question remains whether the club will financially back him in the transfer market. To return to European football, such support will be crucial. There is no doubt that Maurizio Sarri is an exceptional coach known for his teams’ beautiful football, but as always, effective transfers must complement the tactical approach to position the club for competition. The former banker also benefits greatly from having only one game a week to manage.

What Lies Ahead for Lazio?

It is uncertain whether Lazio will immediately rebound. Some might even harbour doubts about Sarri seeing out the start of the season. However, for many football enthusiasts, Sarri’s return to the touchline after over a year is a welcome development.

What are your thoughts on Sarri’s return to Lazio and the club’s prospects for the upcoming season?

This Post Was Originally Published on FORZA CALCIO – A Newsletter Dedicated to Italian Football.