Lazio will square off against Lokomotiv Moscow tomorrow, but Maurizio Sarri was more preoccupied with other matters in the pre-game presser. He looked back at the Derby and the protests by Roma. “Lucas Leiva did not deserve a second yellow card. On the contrary, he was fouled on that occasion.”
“Nicolò Zaniolo was offside on their penalty claim in the first half, so that was non-existent. Moreover, they gifted them a PK. I have re-watched it for two days, and there was no contact. Only the referee and the VAR saw it. If anything, their player kicked Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro.”
Sarri tried to move on: “That is in the past now. We have taken home the three points, and we must look at the future. The whole season can not be based on the Derby, even though it is important. It is easy to play a game with sky-high motivations, while it is tougher to be properly stimulated for two months straight. Only winners manage for the entire season.”
The coach is happy for choosing Lazio: “I am great here, it is satisfying, and I am enjoying myself. We are practicing very hard, and I work well with the management.”
Sarri does not like the short turnaround: “We will see how the players feel today. Serie A scheduled a match 61 hours after this one. It is insane, but we have to adapt to it. I do not know who will start yet, as we have practiced little after the Derby. I am not sure it will be a turning point of the season, as every group reacts differently to results. Rotations? I will not do something now to reap the benefits in a few months. That is nonsense in my mind.”