Maurizio Sarri was satisfied with Lazio’s work in their win over Celtic and called on his players to find the same motivation in the league.
The Biancocelesti took home all three points from their trip to Scotland in dramatic fashion, stealing a win in the 95th minute after a header from veteran winger Pedro. The result leaves them tied for first in their group with Atletico Madrid.
Lazio will now be hoping to carry this momentum forward into their next Serie A outing against Atalanta on Sunday. Sarri’s side sit 16th in the table, making every match key as they try to climb up the table and stay involved in the race for a top four finish.
Speaking in a press conference (via La Lazio Siamo Noi), Sarri first discussed how Lazio hadn’t won away in the Champions League for 20 years.
After 20 years we finished second, after 20 years we win again in the Champions League away, but if you read the comments of some fans it seems like a team of the fifth tier.
Raising your head after a few tough moments is absolutely not easy. We were tough and determined and, in the end, we were also rewarded.
He was asked if he felt the judgements of Lazio this season had been unfair, and the work of Luis Alberto and Ciro Immobile.
I think so. We have the great responsibility of having failed in the first two games, then we played on equal terms with everyone else. We lost in Turin and Milan, but they are two stadiums in which we stand to lose.
Then you look at the table and it’s worrying, but we don’t care much, it’s not a problem. You are completely free to write whatever you think is right, it is not a controversy.
The changes were made when I saw the team tiring physically. I thought about removing Luis, not because he was doing badly, but because he has accumulated more minutes than anyone and we tried to safeguard his last minutes, which could have been difficult.
He spoke about how he felt after Pedro’s last minute winner.
At the bar I would have told you… but here you can’t say. I’ll tell you later when we’re alone!
The Lazio coach commented on how it feels to work with this squad.
This is a nice group to coach. The group must rediscover certain things that they lost in the league and that they found again in the Champions League.
The old guard are producing less, it can all happen from the unconscious moment, satisfaction after last year.
Then in these matches they find their motivation again. We need to find them again in the league too because the table isn’t good for us.
Sarri spoke about what he liked and disliked in the win over Celtic.
After conceding the goal we took control of the match until the 60th minute. I didn’t like that in the last 20 minutes, we were a bit afraid to play the ball out from the back.
Finally, Sarri was asked if the arrival of Valentin Castellanos in the summer rules out the idea of seeing Felipe Anderson in a central role.
At the moment we need Felipe out wide. He has great quality, when he plays great offensive games you all notice it, but he also plays great defensive games.
And when he came off today we got into a bit of trouble. Then if necessary, we will also use him in the centre of the attack.
