Sarri: "The Technical Difference With Napoli Is Clear. We Are The Second Team In Serie A With The Fewest Fouls Committed, Yet We Are Among Those With The Most Red Cards."

After Lazio’s home defeat against Napoli, head coach Maurizio Sarri faced the media to analyze the match and openly share his concerns about the team’s current situation.

Sarri did not hide his disappointment with the performance. He admitted that the gap in quality between the two sides was evident and that Napoli deserved the victory. According to the coach, Lazio were already in trouble before kickoff, but their own approach made things worse.

“The technical difference with Napoli is clear,” Sarri explained. “We probably would have lost anyway, but we helped them. In the first half we were too passive, afraid to press. We defended with the idea of wanting to do something but not really being able to. The only good phase came at the start of the second half, when we looked like we could cause some problems.”

Questions quickly turned to the transfer market and the departure of Valentin Castellanos. Sarri avoided going into detail and pointed responsibility back to the club’s management.

“Transfer issues are not for me to discuss,” he said. “I spoke with the club and the sporting director. I explained which positions are uncovered and what type of players we need. The rest is their responsibility.”

The match was also marked by refereeing controversy and two late red cards, a topic Sarri addressed with visible frustration. He highlighted a statistic he believes does not make sense.

“We are the second team in Serie A with the fewest fouls committed, yet we are among those with the most red cards,” Sarri said. “Either we always make extremely serious fouls, or something does not add up. We spoke about this again recently. Referees should not be an excuse, but the numbers are strange. Today, unfortunately, we also picked up two red cards that could have been avoided.”

Sarri also underlined the ongoing difficulties caused by injuries, noting that Lazio have been missing six or seven players regularly since the second matchday of the season. This, combined with transfer uncertainty, has made squad management very complex.

When asked about midfield options, Sarri spoke about Nicolò Rovella and Danilo Cataldi.

“In an emergency they can play together for a short time,” he explained. “But because of their characteristics, neither of them is a pure defensive midfielder. I see them more as players who can play higher up the pitch.”

Sarri also clarified the role of Matteo Cancellieri, rejecting the idea of using him as a central striker.

“I never wanted him as a center forward,” Sarri said with a smile. “That situation only came up because we were short of options.”

Finally, when asked whether a possible arrival of Lorenzo Insigne could change Lazio’s formation, Sarri firmly closed the discussion.

“I won’t talk about the transfer market,” he concluded. “And no, I don’t think it would change the system. Zaccagni’s backup is not the main problem right now. We have other priorities.”

Sarri’s words painted a clear picture of a Lazio side struggling with injuries, squad limits, and uncertainty off the pitch, as they try to navigate a difficult phase of the season.