Maurizio Sarri steps down as Lazio manager following their fourth consecutive defeat, which has left the team in ninth place in the Serie A standings.

Maurizio Sarri, the former head coach of Serie A side Lazio, has resigned from his position, as confirmed by the club on Wednesday. This decision comes in the wake of Lazio’s surprising 2-1 home defeat against struggling Udinese, which has left the capital side in ninth place in the table. It was Lazio’s fourth consecutive loss in all competitions and their fifth defeat in their last six matches.

Taking temporary charge of the first team will be Sarri’s assistant, Giovanni Martusciello. Sarri’s tenure at Lazio has generally been positive, as he has built upon the foundation laid by former manager Simone Inzaghi. In his first season, the club finished fifth in the league, and last year they improved to a second-place finish behind champions Napoli.

However, this summer saw Lazio lose Serbian superstar midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to a big move in Saudi Arabia. In his place, Lazio brought in Matteo Guendouzi on loan and Daichi Kamada on a free transfer, while also making other investments in the squad with signings such as Taty Castellanos, Gustav Isaksen, Matteo Cancellieri, and Nicolo Rovella.

Sarri has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the club’s transfer dealings. He expressed frustration, stating, “Everyone signs who they want.. It seems to me that in July, the club were clear about who were doing the transfers. If I ask you for a player who is plan A, and you make me choose between C and D.. It’s not like I did the market.”

Regarding the recent defeat against Udinese, Sarri admitted that the team’s performance was poor and their mental state was lacking. He pointed out that some players were dealing with flu symptoms or had not trained with the team for a while. Sarri emphasized the importance of having a strong physical and mental structure to compete in multiple competitions.

In the Champions League this season, Lazio managed to reach the knockout stage and even shocked German giants Bayern Munich with a 1-0 victory in the first leg. However, they were ultimately eliminated after the second leg.

Overall, Sarri’s departure from Lazio marks the end of a mixed tenure, with some notable successes but also frustrations. The club will now look to regroup under temporary manager Giovanni Martusciello and strive for better results in the remainder of the season.