Lazio Coach Sarri Delivers Scathing Response to Lotito: “I Decide Where Maldini Plays”

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The Laziali

·5 marzo 2026

Lazio Coach Sarri Delivers Scathing Response to Lotito: “I Decide Where Maldini Plays”

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri sharply replied to Claudio Lotito’s recent comments, implicitly telling the owner not to intervene in his tactical decisions.

Maurizio Sarri Satisfied With Lazio Display Against Atalanta

The 67-year-old spoke to the press following his team’s 2-2 draw against Atalanta. in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. The manager applauded his players for their improved display, but rued how they dropped too deep after scoring, which saw them squander the lead on two occasions (via Il Messaggero).

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We have to be satisfied with the performance. We played on equal terms with a strong team that is still in the Champions League race. We suffered in the first 10 minutes, then we got into the game. The feeling is that qualification is still open. There’s a bit of regret left, though — our fault is that we drop back immediately after scoring. At that point the midfielders got pushed too deep and didn’t help us. You can’t drop thirty meters right after scoring. Tonight we didn’t even lack quality. We played differently on the right and left sides, and Dele-Bashiru also found the goal.

Sarri Heaps Praise on Nuno Tavares

Sarri also reserved special praise for Nuno Tavares, who has been showing noticeable improvement in recent weeks after enduring a tough first half of the season. The Portuguese full-back played well against Atalanta, and his work down left flank instigated Lazio’s second goal.

Nuno Tavares has worked on himself alone; he’s changed in training and this performance is the logical consequence. He did well in both phases, made sensible decisions and played a real match. The credit goes to the player — now he has to be good enough not to lose himself again.

Player Rating: Lazio 2-2 Atalanta – Dele-Bashiru Delivers on Big Night

Lazio Missed their Supporters Once Again

Lazio played at a virtually empty Stadio Olimpico while the protesting fan groups gathered outside of stadium. Sarri argued that the outcome could have been different had the stands been packed.

I saw that in the second half the very few people present were fired up. I imagine what it would have been like with forty thousand. Maybe they would have carried us along. It’s a thought in the back of my mind. At one point I even heard them outside the stadium, and that was already something. We need them, but I respect their decisions.

Sarri Replies to Claudio Lotito

Lotito once again made some controversial comments in an alleged phone call with a Lazio supporter. The president accused Sarri of blocking Tijjani Noslin’s sale after receiving a €20 million in January, only to drop him to the bench.

The coach responded by reminding the patron of his previous comments, when he insisted that he’s one in charge of the market.

The president once said he’s in charge of the transfer market. So how did I block Noslin’s sale? I knew nothing about this story.

The Daniel Maldini Debate

During the same call, Lotito complained that Sarri is using Daniel Maldini as a striker as opposed to his original role on the left wing. Nevertheless, the manager doesn’t intend to change his plans just to appease the club owner.

It’s a shame that I’m the coach and I decide where he plays. Daniel Maldini has always played as a left-sided attacking midfielder. I’ve always played with an atypical striker and he interprets that role well. The assist he produced tonight is part of his repertoire — sometimes he should be the one being sent through on goal.