Maurizio Sarri is now in his third year in charge of Lazio and this campaign will prove decisive for seasons to come in the Italian capital.
The 64-year-old Italian coach did well to secure a second-place finish in Serie A last season, continuing his work transforming the Biancocelesti into a squad confident of playing a fast-flowing attacking style of football. To bet on their finish this year, you will not be able to find a site with as many welcome bonuses as Coral.
Maurizio Sarri Era
Two years on from the end of the Simone Inzaghi era, things are looking bright for Sarri and Lazio, even with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic leaving for Saudi Arabia this summer. Now though, with the 2023-24 season in full swing, it is do-or-die time for the Italian coach and his players.
Lazio are gearing up for their first Champions League match in two years and their fate in this competition will undoubtedly have ramifications in the transfer market next summer, especially because the club are unlikely to invest too heavily in the winter window.
The Task At Hand
Reaching the knock-out stages will bring in key revenues for the Biancocelesti and would also be an important sign for interested players, showing the club’s ambition and the direction of Sarri’s project. Getting out of a group with Feyenoord, Celtic and Atletico Madrid is no easy task, however.
Despite the importance of Europe, Lazio still can’t afford to slow down in Serie A, needing to maintain momentum following their second-place finish last season. Their rivals at the top – like Inter, Milan, Napoli and Juventus – have set their sights on a top-four finish and this piles the pressure on the Roman club, who need to start maintaining a consistent presence in the Champions League.
Now or Never for Sarri?
Sarri has two years left on his contract with Lazio but their results this season will be a defining aspect of his project in the capital. Securing a top-four finish and appearing in the Champions League knock-out stages will give the club a key boost for the coming years, but failing to do so could push the coach to start considering his options next summer.
The Biancocelesti are in the early stages of a transition, something that started last summer and continued in recent months, and disappointing this season may force the team down a path that’s hard to escape, leaving them without Sarri nor Champions League appeal.
After two years, Lazio have improved but still show the same frustrating signs of inconsistency and drops in focus. Can Sarri and the squad iron these issues out and push the project to new heights, or will the team soon start falling down a slippery slope.
