Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri had mixed feelings after last night’s tough 4-4 draw with Udinese.
Speaking first in an interview with Italian broadcaster DAZN (via LazioNews24) after the game, the 62-year-old Italian coach first discussed the performance at the Stadio Olimpico.
The first half was very confusing. We needed a lot more order. Then we managed to put it together and even take the lead.
The equaliser in the 97th minute gives us anger, also because to me it looked like a foul on Zaccagni.
It’s really a pity because winning this would have been a sign and a turning point. But we still need to find solidity.
The Lazio coach touched on some of his team’s errors in the match.
We have some illogical moments during the matches. This is obvious.
We’re an instinctive, emotional team and we’re working to slowly bring it to reason.
Sarri highlighted how too many players move ahead of the ball during attacks.
Too many of the players go beyond the line of the ball and this, when you lose the ball, complicates things because it forces you to run back.
This is something that is complicated.
He commented on his emotions at half time, when Lazio were 3-1 down.
At halftime I was angry, but I was convinced that if we found order, there was room to put it right.
The guys seemed convinced and in fact then the game changed
Sarri then discussed his anger at Udinese’s last second equaliser in an interview with Lazio Style Channel.
We are left with a bit of anger because in my opinion Zaccagni was fouled, it should have been whistled in our favour.
The goal we could have avoided with a one-man wall and another man on the shooter outside the area. We’re sorry for the result, but we can take the reaction we had as a good sign.
There is little to understand about the first half, on the field I saw a team in confusion after the collapse at Napoli. I liked the reaction in the second half.
The 62-year-old Italian coach defended his squad decisions in the match.
The rush to solve the game leads to certain results, you defend in a hurry and you concede goals from physical players like Udinese.
Today I didn’t see a team that was off. Hysaj grew up in Empoli’s youth academy as a central player and he knows how to do it well, maybe he needs a bit more physicality.
In addition, I chose Radu because I had seen him work very well in training. I chose this lineup because I wanted to give everyone redemption.
He suggested that he might rotate the squad a little more for the weekend’s match against Sampdoria and again he reiterated his anger at the equaliser.
Tonight it was right to play these players, if we need to change we will do so on Sunday. We’ve conceded a lot of goals and it’s a problem we’ve had since the beginning.
It’s hard to think that it’s only the defence’s fault, everyone is responsible. We are a bit angry because we all feel that the incident that led to the equaliser was a foul for us.
There were three seconds to go and if he had whistled, we would have made a great comeback that would have given us a lot of fuel. So instead there is a lot of regret and anger for the draw.
Sarri then discussing the refereeing when speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference after the game.
Zaccagni is in front, the first foul is in our favour, instead the referee gave it to them and they scored in the final seconds. A draw like that hurts.
We had this impression from the field, I confirm it even after I reviewed the action. We were unlucky, but it happens when you don’t have solidity.
The 62-year-old Italian coach was fairly satisfied with his squad’s reaction in the match.
The team was active, not like in Napoli. There was nervous energy. We allowed too many spaces and we got into trouble.
We played a messy game, but the reaction was there. There were many moments, two red cards and many goals.
He commented on if he has started to develop a rapport with his squad.
I think it has, but we have a team that is more instinctive than logical. And this leads us to have many problems.
Right now I find it hard to rationalise everything, but the relationship with the players makes me think that the harmony is there.
Finally, Sarri discussed the unhappiness of the fans and whether this anger was justified.
It’s normal for the fans to be affected by the performances and by what the players say on the pitch.
We want to bring people back to the stadium, but we have to get results.
