Following Lazio’s Coppa Italia defeat at the hands of Inter, the club is officially ending its second consecutive season without European football. The last time the franchise suffered through two straight droughts of this kind? That would be over 30 years ago. That is… not ideal.
According to Yahoo Sports, “the last time Lazio went two or more successive seasons without continental competition was during a 15-year absence stretching from 1978-79 to 1992-93.” They add that the current drought is also the first to occur during Claudio Lotito’s ownership of the club, which kicked off more than two decades ago, in the summer of 2004.
Sure, two straight seasons of failing to secure continental competition might not seem like the end of the world. But the bar has been raised for Lazio during Lotito’s ownership. The club had participated in European competition for nearly a decade uninterrupted before this latest stretch. It even mustered two UEFA Champions League campaigns that saw them make it to the Round of 16.
So, where does Lazio go from here? With one match left on the schedule, that is the question everyone inside and outside the club’s orbit is left asking. While we can’t be sure what changes are coming, it’s pretty clear substantial tweaks are needed.
The First Question Lazio Must Answer Is…
As folks (and players) around the globe gear up for what the folks over at VegasBetting.net explain is going to be a groundbreaking World Cup tournament, Lazio has little time to waste. The 2026-27 campaign begins in August. The preparation for it must begin in earnest upstairs.
Among the many, many questions the club must answer: What’s the deal with head coach Maurizo Sarri?
The 67-year-old was not a happy camper following Lazio’s 2-0 loss in the Rome Derby. To be sure, his discontent was just about the one match, either. As Lorenzo Bettoni of Football Italia relays, Sarri sounded like someone prepared to leave, despite his current contract running through June 2028:
This season’s situation hasn’t pleased me. I wasn’t listened to at all, and I’m far from happy. Perhaps the club isn’t happy either. Let’s finish the season and see if they have anything to say to me.
We need to separate the environment from the club. From an environmental perspective, I would like to stay. I feel like an integral part of this environment, but when it comes to the club, if our plans don’t align, there’s no point in moving forward.
I haven’t heard any plans from anyone, so I can’t give a precise answer.
Sarri’s comments come amid multiple reports that he’s the favorite to land the Napoli coaching gig if the club and Antonio Conte decide to go their separate ways. It would be a bizarre development after Napoli qualified for the Champions League, particularly with Conte earning €8 million per year ($9.3 million USD). But the 56-year-old has been non-committal about his future, even though many have taken his decision to not rejoin Italy’s national team for the World Cup as a sign he’ll stick around.
Sarri Reveals What Could Keep Him at Lazio
In the event Lazio wants to keep Sarri from leaving for Napoli or somewhere else, they’ll have to put their money where their mouth is. No, we are not talking about a raise for Sarri. But he very clearly wants the club to spend on talent upgrades.
First and foremost, Sarri told a Roman newspaper that he wants at least one new center-back. Many believe Alessio Romagnoli and/or Mario Gila are poised to leave in the offseason. Without big-name reinforcements to bolster the defensive void either departure creates, Sarri won’t be a happy camper.
Another midfielder or two is also on the manager’s wish list. He has been pretty open about having to overuse Kenneth Taylor following the exit of Matteo Guendouzi. And since there’s a chance Tomas Basic won’t re-up his contract, the depth in the middle is reaching Defcon 1 levels of shaky.
Lastly, Sarri has apparently requested a new winger and a new striker. Winger Mattia Zaccagni, he believes, is shouldering too heavy of a burden attempting to cover stage left. And the additions of strikers Petar Ratkov and Daniel Maldini have not done enough, in Sarri’s eyes, to bolster the offensive attack.
Zoom out, and it sure feels like the manager believes Lazio require a depth-chart overhaul. It isn’t clear if that’s what the suits upstairs have in mind. Given the very public sparring Sarri had with club president Claudio Lotito, we have to guess the organization isn’t on the same page when it comes to the concept of seismic change.
If that’s the case, we will still be left wondering what the future holds for Lazio. At that point, though, whatever it is probably won’t include Sarri.
