“The outcome of the Cup match does not change the future. We are working so that next year will be year one after this was year zero”
The eve of the most important match of the year, the semi-final first leg of the Italian Cup. Winning this competition is Lazio’s only remaining chance of returning to Europe next season. However, Maurizio Sarri prefers to tone things down, take pressure off the team, aware that the moment is delicate (only 3 victories in the last three months) and that Atalanta’s obstacle is difficult to overcome. “At the beginning of the year we talked about year zero. And we said that a lot of patience would be needed. That there wasn’t a European objective to achieve at all costs, but that the real objective was to rebuild the team. The situation has not changed. We will face this match against Atalanta with the utmost determination, aware however that there is no goal to be achieved without ifs or buts. I spoke with sporting director Fabiani and he also reiterated to me that, however this Italian Cup semi-final goes, we won’t have to cause drama.”
Looking forward to year 1
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Patience as the underlying theme of a season that necessarily had to be transitional. For Sarri the situation has remained the same: “I said straight away that a lot of patience would be needed this year. I still have it, I hope everyone can have it.” And on the future: “The outcome of the match against Atalanta does not change the future. We are working so that next year will be year one after this was year zero. It will also depend on the investments that will be made in the summer, in the meantime we will continue on our path. Comparisons with Lazio two years ago? They cannot be made, that was a strong and accomplished team, but it was at the end of the cycle, now we need to rebuild.” Winning the Italian Cup would help. “We must be proud of the path we have had so far in this competition. We eliminated Milan and Bologna, the two finalists of last edition. Now we face a very strong team like Atalanta, the only Italian team left in the Champions League. It won’t be easy. But we will try.”
State of mind and choices
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However, Lazio has just returned from the defeat against Torino which set off alarm bells for the subpar performance provided. “A bad day can happen to any team – Sarri again -, even the strongest ones. But Lazio had always had the correct approach in previous matches. That is the fundamental thing, more than tactics and technical aspects. Against Atalanta we will have to have the right attitude”. For tomorrow’s match Gila, Maldini and Pedro will be available again, even if at the moment none of the three are sure of the call-up, the reserve will only be released tomorrow morning, but all three should be there. Those who won’t be there are the public, who will continue their protest against the club, leaving the stadium empty (3,000 tickets sold). “I respect their decisions, but we miss the fans,” Sarri commented.
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