Igor Tudor has been appointed as the new manager of Lazio after Maurizio Sarri stepped down from his position at the Serie A club.

Igor Tudor has been appointed as the new manager of SS Lazio, taking over from Maurizio Sarri who recently resigned. Sarri’s departure came after a string of poor results, with Lazio currently sitting in ninth place in Serie A. Giovanni Martusciello temporarily filled the managerial role for Lazio’s 3-2 victory against Frosinone.

Tudor, who previously played as a defender for Juventus from 1998 to 2007, will officially take charge of Lazio’s next league match against his former club, Juventus, on March 30. This match will be held at Lazio’s home ground, the Stadio Olimpico, following the international break. Additionally, Tudor will face his old side in a two-legged Italian Cup semi-final next month, with Lazio aiming to reclaim the trophy they won in 2019.

Following their recent win, Lazio currently find themselves four points behind Atalanta, who occupy the final European spot in Serie A. Tudor will be tasked with closing this gap and securing European qualification for the club.

Tudor brings a wealth of experience to Lazio, having previously managed Marseille in Ligue 1, where he led the team to a third-place finish and secured a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot. Prior to his time at Marseille, Tudor had stints at Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig, as well as Udinese and Hellas Verona in Serie A.

Having played over 100 matches for Juventus during his nine-year spell as a player, Tudor is no stranger to Italian football. He also represented Croatia on the international stage, earning 55 caps between 1997 and 2006.

With Tudor now at the helm, Lazio will be hoping for a resurgence in form as they aim to climb the Serie A table and secure European football for next season.