Last summer, Maurizio Sarri joined Lazio Rome for the second time—with a clear goal in mind. Since that goal wasn’t met and another high-profile club immediately began aggressively courting him, both parties parted ways almost immediately.
Even a 2-1 win over relegated Pisa on the final matchday of Serie A didn’t help: Lazio finished in 9th place with 54 points, missing their minimum goal of at least qualifying for the Conference League. Meanwhile, their chance at the Europa League had been squandered by a weak performance in the Coppa Italia final against double champions Inter Milan (0-2).
In the end, it was not enough for the club’s management—nor for Maurizio Sarri, who was brought back in June 2025 for his second term following his tenure from 2021 to 2024. As had been hinted at recently and was officially announced this Wednesday, both the Biancocelesti club leadership and the coach agreed to terminate the contract after just one season.
“Welcome back” and “thank you very much”
Claudio Lotito’s words from back then have thus aged poorly, as the Lazio president had grandly proclaimed at the time: “Maurizio Sarri is back in his homeland. His return is a decision of the heart and one made out of conviction, as well as with a clear vision. With him, we want to continue on a path that was interrupted far too soon—knowing that together we can bring back enthusiasm, identity, and ambition. Welcome back to your home, Comandante!”
Now, in the club statement, the club wrote: “Thank you for everything, Commandante!”—and included a video featuring emotional gestures, hugs, and celebratory gestures from the coach.
The fact that Sarri made such a quick about-face points above all to false promises and unfavorable circumstances. The coach, known for his pithy remarks, had already announced his resignation at one point because the club was restricted in transfers due to Financial Fair Play limitations—a fact the club apparently only informed him of after he had taken up his second tenure. Statements like this one from October underscored that: “What I did for Lazio, I wouldn’t have done for any other club. I would have left any other club that told me after signing the contract that the transfer market was off-limits.”
Off to Bergamo
Where Sarri will go next is considered an open secret. After all, with Atalanta Bergamo—a team on the rise for many years—having qualified for the Conference League this season (7th place) only because of their cup victory over Lombardy neighbors Inter Milan, Sarri is seen as the new hope. Although the club found a good solution in Raffaele Palladino following the departure of club legend Gian Piero Gasperini (now at AS Roma) and the initial failure of Ivan Juric. Since taking over in mid-November 2025, Palladino has recorded 13 wins and seven draws in 27 Serie A matches, which nevertheless wasn’t enough.
Meanwhile, in Rome, despite some interest in FCN coach and former Lazio pro Miroslav Klose—who was already being linked to the club after Sarri’s first departure from the “Eternal City”—former national team coach Gennaro Gattuso is set to take over.
