Sarri:" I’m Happy With The Result For The Lads And For What I Saw In The Away Stands. When I Came On, I Was Surprised Because, Despite My Age, I’d Rarely Seen An Away Side Like This."

Maurizio Sarri left the Bentegodi with three points and a deep breath of relief. Lazio’s 1 to 0 away win over Hellas Verona ended a difficult spell, but the coach’s press conference made one thing clear. The result matters, yet the bigger picture is still complicated.

Lazio’s January market is moving quickly, but Sarri admitted he has barely had time to work with his new arrivals.

“I haven’t seen them much. Ratkov trained twice and Taylor trained once,” Sarri said. “This is the first time in my career, including amateurs, that I’ve played a player who’s only trained once.”

He described it as the clearest sign of Lazio’s current emergency, and explained that right now he can only rely on his first impressions, not certainty.

“For now, I only have a feeling. I’d be presumptuous if I had any certainties about these guys I’ve seen so little of,” he said. “The feeling is positive because they seem like they’re making themselves available.”

Sarri also underlined his responsibility in the coming days.

“I’ll have to try to be quick in understanding their strengths and weaknesses to try to integrate them as best as possible.”

One obvious question followed. If Petar Ratkov is a strong target man, does Lazio now need to change how they supply their striker?

“We weren’t built for this,” Sarri replied. “Changing the minds of the other ten players becomes difficult.”

It was a light joke, but it also carried a serious point. Lazio’s current attacking habits were developed for different profiles. If Ratkov is going to be maximised, Sarri will need time, and so will the squad.

Sarri did not describe the performance as perfect. In fact, he praised Lazio’s ability to play out from the back, then criticised what happened next.

“Today, we’re responsible for not converting the runs from the back, which were done at a good level today, into many scoring opportunities,” he said. “In the final 25 meters, we weren’t able to turn anything into a real threat.”

He still felt Lazio managed the game well, especially against an opponent he respects for their dangerous transitions.

“We were in control of the game,” Sarri said. “We knew it would be difficult.”

Sarri’s warmest moment in the press conference came when he spoke about the Lazio supporters in Verona.

“When I came on, I was surprised because, despite my age, I’d rarely seen an away side like this,” he said. “So I’m happy for them too.”

He added that the win felt important not only for the team, but also for those who travelled.

“I’m happy with the result for the lads and for what I saw in the away stands.”

Without Mattia Zaccagni, Lazio looked less creative again, and Sarri did not deny his importance. But he rejected the idea that the numbers were alarming.

“I think we had 12 shots on target. Our average is 11.4, so we’re absolutely average,” he said, before repeating that the real issue is not the volume, but the danger.

“No, I didn’t like Lazio’s attack,” Sarri admitted. “I’ve been saying all year that we’re not very dangerous regardless of how much we play.”

He also pushed back against the idea that a new arrival can magically solve everything.

“It’s not as if a guy who arrived yesterday could solve all the problems we’ve accumulated,” he said.

On Zaccagni, he was direct.

“We’re talking about a player of great quality, and when he’s absent, it’s a problem for us,” Sarri said. “There are four or five who can afford to have players of the same quality on the bench. We’re not among them at the moment.”

Sarri was also asked about Claudio Lotito’s comments on transfers, and whether the club followed his guidance.

“In certain roles they can get closer, in others they don’t even get close,” he said.

When asked what profile he would want next in midfield, Sarri delivered the kind of answer that makes headlines, because it mixes truth with humour.

“I’d like a player with quantity, quality, and who scores a few goals,” he said. “I think he’d cost around eighty million, though.”

Sarri also offered an update on Nicolò Rovella, explaining that the midfielder is still far from being ready to start.

“He’s very far from being a starter,” Sarri said. “He’s been out for three and a half months and has only trained in the last ten days.”

Still, Sarri sounded encouraged by what he sees day to day.

“The positive aspect is that he’s improving from training session to training session,” he said. “This is a sign that I think he can get close to his peak performance very quickly.”

Sarri finished with a broader reflection on a season full of obstacles, mentioning factors that have cost Lazio points.

“I’m very disappointed by many of the situations I’ve seen this season,” he said, referencing both the closed transfer window and refereeing issues.

But he ended on a personal note that felt like a promise to his squad.

“I’m lucky to have guys who make me go to the pitch happy,” Sarri said. “If I can repay them, I’ll repay them by trying to improve them.”