Maurizio Sarri has stressed the importance of his players’ mental approach for Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Serie A champions Inter, especially after a recent 3-0 league defeat. He stated, “If the mental attitude is the same as it was on Saturday, then tactics count for nothing.”
Lazio, currently ninth in Serie A, faces the newly crowned champions Inter in the Coppa Italia final. Lazio reached this stage by defeating Milan, Bologna, and Atalanta, with the latter two victories coming after penalty shootouts. Inter, meanwhile, advanced by overcoming Venezia, Torino, and Como.
Given their league standings, Inter was already considered the favorite, a notion reinforced by their decisive 3-0 victory over Lazio in Serie A last weekend. Sarri acknowledged his team’s “sh**” performance on Saturday and expressed uncertainty about his starting lineup as a consequence.
The availability of Danilo Cataldi, who only rejoined training on the eve of the final, is also in doubt. Sarri commented, “Cataldi did his first training session with us this morning, he’s doing a little better in terms of the injury… He hasn’t trained for the last month, he can’t do a long shift.”
He further added, “I have eight or nine doubts after Saturday’s game. We did so badly that there is no need to look at individual performances. We conceded the game, a sh** performance and the same result.”
Sarri believes that immediate tactical adjustments are limited, stating, “There’s no particular work or training you can do in just a few days, we have to hope that what we saw on Saturday is just a mental thing. We hope to see a team with a different mental approach and therefore a completely different team.”
Despite his disappointment with the recent performance, Sarri expressed pride in his team’s resilience throughout the season, particularly in cup competitions and despite the absence of vocal support from some fans at various points.
“I’m proud of the team’s attitude more than anything. They made a few mistakes but haven’t given up this season. The biggest motivation for tomorrow’s game is the team itself, they deserve to win this final after a great journey. The team crossed the desert with no water and that is a source of satisfaction.”
“We look different compared to the start of the season and I think we’re a different team for the better. We can be poor as coaches and players, but not as people.”
Sarri has a history of losing cup finals, including a penalty shootout loss with Juventus in 2019 and a notable EFL Cup final defeat with Chelsea in 2019. He described the latter as the “biggest sore-point of his career.”
He recalled, “I’ve already lost two national cup competitions on penalties, in England, even after seven penalties, and that’s the one I regret the most. In the 120 minutes, we deserved more against a team like Manchester City.”
Sarri downplayed personal ambitions regarding winning the Coppa Italia, emphasizing his desire for his team and the club’s supporters to achieve the victory.
“This is a trophy that belongs to the players and the supporters. It’s true that we’ve played in an empty stadium this season, but even for (the fans), it can’t have been easy not coming to the stadium. Personally, after a long career behind me, I think this trophy won’t change my life, but it would be nice for the players and for the fans.”
He admitted that finding the right motivational words before a cup final is challenging.
“After lunch today, I was preparing for tonight’s meeting and I was struggling to find the right words. It’s a very clear game to prepare for, any words are just rhetoric. That’s difficult for me and for the team.”
“We need humility, courage, and to forget about Saturday’s game. Any words I say in a meeting tonight are almost unnecessary, I consider it a useless meeting. The guys already know what it takes. They have to believe in it, believe in it to the point of madness.”
Lazio hopes Pedro can continue his knack for scoring in cup finals, although he will be coming off the bench.
“Pedro was bruised until this morning. He did part of today’s training and will make himself available. He’s usually a specialist in these sorts of games, he’s scored in 80% of the finals he’s played in and he gives everything. We hope he does it tomorrow as well, but he’s had bruising and he’s only ready for part of the game.”
Regarding Inter’s coach Cristian Chivu, who is aiming for a domestic double in his first full season, Sarri commented, “He’s had good personality in his approach. Obviously they have a very strong team but I think they’ve made the most of it in the right way. Leading a strong team when they should be winning is important. Inter were clearly the strongest team this year.”
Sarri reiterated that his players’ mentality is paramount for the final.
“If the mental attitude is the same as it was on Saturday, then tactics count for nothing. If you defend with your eyes without challenging for the ball, there are no tactics to take into consideration. We’ve prepared differently, we will see if it will work or not, but it depends on the mental side of things.”
Finally, on the recent absence of fans, Sarri noted, “Warming up recently has definitely been a bit depressing. From this point of view, it can definitely help the team. As I’ve always answered to this question, I don’t know how much it has cost us (financially) not having the fans, but it has definitely cost us points.”
