Lazio is working in a tense atmosphere towards the Champions League match on Wednesday with Celtic. Coach Maurizio Sarri heightened the tensions with Feyenoord's opponent by openly criticizing the transfer policy of President Claudio Lotito.
Lazio, with seven points from seven matches, has had a disappointing start to the season and stands in fifteenth place after last Saturday's 2-0 defeat against AC Milan. After that match, Sarri, due to the congested fixture schedule, not only lashed out at UEFA, FIFA, and Serie A, but also expressed his dissatisfaction with this summer's signings.
'I came up with different names, but in the end, I said yes to other players,' Sarri answered during a press conference when asked if he agreed with the club's transfer policy. 'Everyone knows very well that the players I suggested did not come. So, I have to make do with the players I have at my disposal.'
According to Corriere dello Sport, those statements have further escalated the tension between Sarri and president Lotito. The Roman newspaper suggests that the Italian coach hoped he would have more influence over transfer policy following the departure of technical director Igli Tare. Instead, Lotito fully steered his own course.
The result was that Lazio signed players last summer that, according to the newspaper, Sarri was not really waiting for. The former coach of Napoli, Chelsea, and Juventus had reportedly set his sights on big names like Domenico Berardi, Arek Milik, and Piotr Zielinski, but instead got Taty Castellanos, Matteo Guendouzi, and Daichi Kamada.
His statements on Saturday evening do not bode well for Sarri's position. After finishing second last season, the 64-year-old Neapolitan is quickly losing credit as results are lacking in the new season. If the situation at Lazio does not improve soon, Italian media do not rule out the temperamental Lotito firing his coach.
