Maurizio Sarri's gradual demise at Lazio left a fanbase divided more than ever
It was a sad ending for the experienced coach, especially since he had repeatedly expressed his desire to remain with Lazio until the end of his career. He had become the leader of the entire fan base, which, having developed a negative relationship with President Claudio Lotito - identified strongly with Sarri.
Since arriving at the historic club, Sarri had started to embody its values and faithfully represent the feelings of the supporters. This was never more evident than his answer relating to the challenge of facing Bayern Munich: "It's nice to beat the Germans, but it's more satisfying to win the Derby (against Roma)," he said proudly.
This is a phrase that a few years ago Sarri would never have said out loud. Upon his arrival at Lazio, he initially tried to downplay the match against Roma, but over time, the club and the rivalry had a big influence on him.
It must be remembered that Sarri resigned from his position, he was not fired. Many fans of the club had become convinced in the final weeks of Sarri's reign that some players, if not the whole team, were playing "against" him. Or at least, no longer working as hard as they had before.
These kind of things can happen in football, but it is also true that sometimes fans can come up with simple excuses to explain their side's poor form. Just think of similar comments said about Jose Mourinho and the final stages of his stint at Roma.
Sarri's traditional style of football (the high-tempo passing that worked so well at Napoli) was rarely seen during his time at Lazio. The Biancocelesti mainly played on the counter, using the running qualities of Felipe Anderson and Mattia Zaccagni.
One of the main reasons the fans were calling for his dismissal was because they were unhappy with his reluctance to change tactics. For example, he never tried a three-man defence or never played with two strikers in Ciro Immobile and Taty Castellanos up front.
Steadfast he has always been. It has been his strength; it has been his hallmark. However, at Lazio, it was his stubbornness that was perhaps the main problem why it ended up turning sour.
The general consensus among the Biancocelesti fan base was that they were divided 50/50 on Sarri. There were those who would have continued with Sarri at all costs, because according to them, it was not his fault that the team was unequipped to fight for fourth place.
There were also plenty of supporters who had given up on his tactics, hoping to find a replacement manager so the team could renew their focus during the latter stages of the season.
Despite the pressure surrounding Sarri, the news of his departure still came as a shock. It was news that split the fans, causing in some cases wounds that will take a long time to heal.
Roma chose to bet on Daniele De Rossi, a club legend and captain. It turned out to be a good decision for the club. While Lazio, after pondering the possibility of betting on former players like Tommaso Rocchi or Miroslav Klose, opted for Igor Tudor - a coach who has done well in some of his previous positions.
He is certainly a strong, charismatic man, although so was Sarri. It might have ended badly for the latter, but the emotions felt during the journey will never be forgotten. Sarri loved Lazio and the people of Lazio were incredibly fond of him too. The rest is history.
