Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri was happy with the performance in last night’s 0-0 draw with Galatasaray.
Speaking first in an interview with Italian broadcaster Sky Sports Italia (via LazioNews24) after the game, the 62-year-old Italian coach first discussed the Biancocelesti’s performance in the match.
We played a good game, holding firmly without ever risking anything. We lacked something in the last twenty yards or from a dead-ball situation.
The pitch was unplayable, it slowed us down a lot but for the great dominance we had we could have built something more.
Sarri touched on the team’s growth since the start of the season.
Lazio must grow into winning this type of match and in the consistency of their performance.
The big problem of this team has always been the order but in the last two or three games we have made many improvements.
The Lazio coach commented on the squad’s difficulties in the final third.
We carried a thousand balls into the opponents’ last thirty yards, then we always lacked something.
The 62-year-old Italian coach discussed Croatian midfielder Toma Basic.
Basic is a tactically very smart kid and he has a decent technical quality and remarkable physical qualities. He can grow a lot but has already made remarkable improvements.
Given the big change in environment he has undergone I think he has made a pretty good and quick impact.
Sarri touched on a possible contract extension with Lazio, extending his current deal from 2023 to 2025.
I think and hope I’ve found the right place, it’s an environment where I feel very comfortable.
We’ll see if there are any developments on the renewal in the coming days.
He spoke about if he was happy with the team’s development so far.
I hoped to find few difficulties, we are in line with what we expected.
Difficulties in reality are always there.
Sarri then discussed the 0-0 draw with Galatasaray in an interview with Lazio Style Radio.
At the level of supremacy, we controlled the game for 90 minutes. We conceded very little, but we lacked something in the last 20 meters.
As much as we played, we built very little. However, for what I saw, I’m happy. This team lacked order and I’m seeing that now.
He gave his thoughts on the Biancocelesti’s showing in the Europa League so far this season.
The group was very balanced and it was not a foregone conclusion that we would pass. The Istanbul match was painful.
We deserved to win this group, but I’m happy for the compactness and order we showed.
He was not impressed with the conditions of the Stadio Olimpico pitch.
The conditions of the pitch did not help us and slowed down our movements and our actions.
The 62-year-old Italian coach touched on his squad decisions in the match.
In games like these, changes are needed. Luis Alberto had a little discomfort in recent days.
We risked playing him, considering that against Sassuolo Milinkovic-Savic will be missing.
He looked ahead to the next game against Sassuolo.
Sunday will not be easy. They won against Juventus and drew against Napoli.
They play good football and the match will have to be prepared for very well.
Sarri discussed the match and the next possible opponents when speaking to gathered reporters in a press conference.
In the round of 16 I would like to face Barcelona, the only big team I’ve never met. Tonight we lacked the last 20 meters, some more technique in the last pass.
Surely this pitch doesn’t help those who want to play ground ball, it’s not a complaint but an observation. The lack, however, was ours.
Immobile didn’t have any major physical problems, but unfortunately at the moment he’s not training as much as he should, between one injury and another.
He commented on why the team scores less in Europe and the performance of individual players.
I don’t know why we score more goals and cash in the league than in Europe, maybe because it’s a balanced group the level of attention is higher.
Luis Alberto? He was out today for precautionary reasons after a slight strain, given Milinkovic-Savic’s disqualification in the league I preferred not to start him.
Zaccagni is improving, but now he has to improve his shooting. He’s doing well, but he still has room to grow.
Sarri discussed the performance against Galatasaray in an interview with DAZN.
We lacked something in the area but we played a good game, controlling it for 90 minutes without conceding counter attacks.
We found a team that has never conceded a goal away and tonight they didn’t want to play football. This pitch doesn’t help us because it lengthens the playing time a lot.
Finally, Sarri discussed which team the would like to face in the Europa League round of 16.
I would like to face Barcelona because they are the only team I have never faced in my career.
