Aurelio De Laurentiis, the outspoken president of Serie A champions Napoli, has offered his perspective on the decision of Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri to resign from his position.
The name of coach Sarri has prominently featured in Italian headlines over the past 24 hours.
This development follows Sarri’s unexpected departure from Lazio, a decision communicated to Biancocelesti chief Claudio Lotito with immediate effect, as reported by various sources across Italy. Sarri made this decision with ten games remaining in the Serie A season.
Lazio suffered a disappointing defeat against Udinese on Monday, coupled with their recent elimination from the Champions League, which seemingly prompted Sarri’s departure from the Stadio Olimpico.
Ahead of Napoli’s match against Barcelona on Tuesday, media inquiries naturally turned to Aurelio De Laurentiis regarding Sarri’s resignation, given the fruitful years Sarri spent as Napoli’s manager.
De Laurentiis, however, swiftly criticized Sarri for his decision, describing it as characteristic of a ‘loser’:
“It surprised me greatly,” De Laurentiis remarked to Mediaset, as cited by Tuttomercatoweb. “As a professional, one must accept their responsibilities. Assuming a role necessitates fulfilling it to the end, out of respect for the club, players, and supporters.”
“It’s convenient to resign. That is the action of a loser. While I am uncertain of the motivation behind it, Lotito appears composed. He possesses admirable qualities, and a resolution should have been sought for a team that cannot simply be abandoned near the end of the season.”