Maurizio Sarri, the Italian coach, has stepped down from his role at Lazio, a club currently ranked ninth in the Italian league.
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Italian coach Maurizio Sarri has stepped down from his role at Lazio, currently positioned ninth in the Serie A standings, as confirmed by the club on Wednesday.
This resignation follows closely on the heels of yet another loss in the league, marking the team's 12th defeat in 28 games this season.
The official statement from the Rome-based club declared, "Lazio S.S. informs that Maurizio Sarri has resigned from his position as head coach of the first team." It was also announced that Giovanni Martusciello, previously an assistant coach, will assume the role of interim head coach, taking on the technical leadership responsibilities for the team moving forward.
Sarri, aged 65, exits the club amidst a challenging phase, with Lazio suffering four straight defeats - three in Serie A and one in the Champions League, where the team was knocked out in the round of 16 by Bayern Munich. The latest of these losses was a home defeat to Udinese on Sunday.
Lazio's performance in the Italian league has been less than stellar, with the team managing only 12 victories in 28 matches, leaving them a significant 35 points adrift of the league leaders, Inter Milan.
Sarri's tenure at Lazio spanned over three seasons, during which he led the team to a second-place finish last season, 16 points behind Napoli, and to a fifth-place finish in the 2021/22 season. His departure marks the end of a chapter for Lazio, underlining a period of mixed results and culminating in a decision that both Sarri and the club likely hope will allow for a reset and a new direction forward.
As Lazio looks to navigate through this transition, the appointment of Martusciello as the interim head coach suggests a period of reassessment and potentially a shift in strategy as the club aims to salvage their season and rebuild for the future. Sarri's resignation, coming amidst a tough run of form, highlights the high-pressure environment of top-flight Italian football, where expectations are always lofty, and the margins for error are slim.
