Lazio president Claudio Lotito has opened up about the recent changes at the club and his vision for the future in a candid interview with DAZN. The outspoken owner shed light on Maurizio Sarri’s resignation, the appointment of Igor Tudor, and the club’s new direction under Marco Baroni.
Addressing Sarri’s departure, Lotito explained: “I had a good relationship with Sarri. He has his own ideas, both politically and behaviorally, but we had created an alchemy based on mutual respect. After a match at the Olimpico where the team didn’t perform well, I went to him. I pointed out that the group seemed to have lost the pride to fight. He agreed with me, and together we decided to send the team on a retreat to Formello.”
However, this decision revealed deeper issues within the squad. Lotito continued: “Some players didn’t take the decision well, perhaps because they no longer felt involved. The retreat, however, showed us that the problem was deeper: there was an internal conflict, especially with the more experienced players. Sarri realized he could no longer govern the dressing room and decided to resign.”
The arrival of Igor Tudor brought a temporary resurgence, but further changes were necessary. “With Tudor’s arrival, the team reacted, regaining some pride,” Lotito said. “At the end of the season, however, he pointed out the need to make substantial changes, including the sale of some players who were causing problems. We realized it was time to uproot those who thought they owned the club.”
Now, Lazio has turned to Marco Baroni to lead the team forward. Lotito expressed his confidence in the new manager: “Now we have Baroni who speaks our language, who is hungry and wants to prove his worth. It’s clear that everyone must be united behind him.”
Reflecting on his role as president, Lotito emphasized the importance of representing the club’s community and values: “Being president of a football team means representing a community of people and their feelings. We have a duty to preserve, maintain, and pass on their values, and this responsibility is not limited to profit or economic interest.”
When asked about the situation at rival club Roma and the appointment of Daniele De Rossi, Lotito offered a diplomatic response: “Certainly De Rossi was tied to Roma’s history, just like Totti, and lived his relationship with his beloved team viscerally. There was an identity, a continuous symbiosis between him and the club. I don’t know the details of his relationships with the ownership or the dressing room; therefore, I can’t express judgments on this. I can only say that he was a person deeply connected to the colors of the team he coached.”
