Sarri on Lazio Loss vs Sassuolo: “Patience is Key”

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The Laziali

·16 settembre 2025

Sarri on Lazio Loss vs Sassuolo: “Patience is Key”

After a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Sassuolo, Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri appeared for a press conference to dissect his team’s performance.

The manager, who had to handle a family matter immediately following the match, dispelled any notions of a panicked departure and instead focused on a detailed tactical breakdown.

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Sarri emphasized that while the result was disappointing, there was no reason for alarm. He focused on the tactical shortcomings he observed during the match, while also seeing signs of progress.

Assessing the Sassuolo Defeat

Sarri noted that while the team showed signs of a more organized approach compared to their initial pre-season struggles against Como, they lacked the speed and spontaneity necessary to create genuine scoring opportunities. The coach highlighted what he sees as a tactical dilemma for his squad.

I had to give priority to a family matter, so I came a little later. There is no reason to be worried, we are disappointed for the result, but we are looking ahead. The current Lazio side is a team not accustomed to maintaining distances; they have to think a lot and lose their naturalness, brilliance, and tempo. I saw a team that was in control of the game but developed with tempos that were too long. We conceded practically nothing, we missed that bit of aggressiveness that makes you play the ball forward, and we often gave the ball back. Sassuolo is an excellent team, they have one of the strongest attacking trios in Italy, but we gave them too much space.

He pointed out that despite controlling possession and giving up few chances, the team’s offensive rhythm was completely off.

The coach acknowledged Sassuolo’s quality, particularly their dangerous attacking players, but insisted that Lazio’s own passive play was the more significant issue.

The Need for Faster Play

A key area of concern for the manager was the team’s ball movement. He criticized the tendency to pass backward in midfield rather than attempting to verticalize the play and attack spaces.

While acknowledging that statistics showed Lazio had made twice as many vertical passes as their opponents, he insisted that the tempo was far too slow.

The data show that we have made twice as many vertical passes as them, but the tempos have been too long. When these mechanisms become automatic without thinking, then we can have more speed in the game. We need to attack the spaces more, yesterday we did it little, against Verona certainly more.

Sarri believes that until these tactical movements become second nature to the players, the team will continue to struggle with offensive fluidity. He hopes that with more training and repetition, the squad can instinctively make quicker, more decisive passes forward.

This shift in mentality and execution is crucial for unlocking the team’s full attacking potential and moving away from predictable, slow build-up play.

A More Organized Side

Despite the defeat, Sarri saw progress. He praised his team’s defensive and tactical discipline, suggesting they were not in the same state of disarray as they were in the match against Como.

In terms of order, the team was better than against Como. I am sure that when the ball mechanisms become automatic, the players will move faster.

The coach is confident that as the players become more accustomed to his system, their game will become faster and more fluid.

He concluded his analysis by reiterating the need for patience from everyone involved with the club, stating that this season would be one of great difficulty but that there was no reason for panic.