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LAZIO IN CRISIS: MAURIZIO SARRI SLAMS "DOWNGRADED" CLUB AS ROMAGNOLI PREPARES FOR AL-SADD MOVE

Maurizio Sarri fumes as Lazio draw with Lecce, admitting the club is "being downgraded." Romagnoli nears a move to Mancini’s Al-Sadd.

Lazio in Crisis: Maurizio Sarri slams "downgraded" club as Romagnoli prepares for Al-Sadd move
Romagnoli’s exit proves Lotito is destroying the club today

Maurizio Sarri looked pretty drained after Lazio’s goalless draw with Lecce. He didn’t hide his frustration, saying the club is “being downgraded” and isn’t heading in the right direction. “I promised I’d accept any compromise,” he admitted.

Both teams showed up at Stadio Via del Mare desperate for a result, but you could feel the nerves. The match dragged on with little to get excited about. Lecce actually created more chances—Ylber Ramadani came closest, smashing a shot off the underside of the bar—but at least they broke their losing streak with a point.

For Lazio, the only real silver lining? It’s their 11th clean sheet. Not much else for Sarri to celebrate tonight.

He spoke after the match, making it clear he’s sticking around for the fans. “I told the Lazio supporters I’d do anything this season, accept any compromise, because I made them a promise,” Sarri told Sky Sport Italia. “They’ve given me so much love, more than I could ever pay back. You just can’t understand what Lazio means from the outside. Once you’re here, it’s unconditional.”

When asked directly if Lazio are being downgraded, Sarri didn’t dodge: “So far, yes. We’ll see where we are at the end, but right now, yes. The club says they want to build a young squad, but it needs to be a good one. I don’t care how old a player is—if he’s good, that’s what matters.”

He tried to sum up the night: “The team did what it could after a tough week. We wasted so many passes in the first half and made things hard for ourselves. We were a bit better after the break, but then we just disappeared in the final third. That’s a problem we just can’t seem to fix.”

Lazio sold Taty Castellanos because he didn’t fit Sarri’s style, but tonight Sarri started Boulaye Dia up front instead of Tijjani Noslin or the new guy, Petar Ratkov. “I thought Dia did fine for the first 10-20 minutes, but then the service just wasn’t there, and that’s not his game. Ratkov looked a bit better compared to when he first arrived, and Taylor, too. Our strikers are struggling to finish, or maybe we’re not giving them the service they need. Honestly, it’s tough to judge.”

It’s been a tense week for the squad. Romagnoli started tonight, even though there are rumours he’s asked for a transfer to join Roberto Mancini’s Al-Sadd. After the final whistle, he went over to the away fans, shook hands with some ultras, and handed over his shirt. He looked emotional.

Sarri didn’t have any real answers on Romagnoli’s future. “I don’t know. I have no idea right now. We’ll know more when things calm down. Right now, it feels like no, but let’s see what happens in the next few days. Maybe I’ll be wrong. Let’s just wait and see.”

10-WEEK WAIT: WHAT DID BILLY GILMOUR DO DURING HIS LONG RECOVERY PERIOD IN LONDON?

Billy Gilmour is back: Analyse his return against Roma and the latest news on Scott McTominay's new 2030 Napoli contract talks.

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Billy Gilmour returns for Napoli after 10 weeks out with injury

Billy Gilmour couldn’t hide his excitement after finally shaking off his injury. Those ten weeks on the sidelines felt like forever, honestly.

He made his return on Sunday, stepping onto the pitch for the first time since November 1. Gilmour came on with just 11 minutes left in Napoli’s 2-2 draw against Roma and didn’t waste any time; he played a key pass that set up Alisson Santos’ equaliser only three minutes after coming on.

Gilmour, who used to run the midfield for Chelsea and Brighton, had been part of the Scotland squad that booked a spot at next summer’s World Cup in North America. Still, he missed those crucial games against Greece and Denmark and ended up needing surgery for a hernia right after.

While he was out, things got rough for Napoli. They slipped out of the title race and crashed out early from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.

But for Gilmour, just being back on the pitch meant everything. He posted on Instagram: “First steps in 2026. There’s no better feeling than being on the pitch and doing it in front of your fans! It’s been a long 10 weeks; now I’m back doing what I love with this team. Forza Napoli Sempre!”

In other news, Scott McTominay, Gilmour’s teammate for both club and country, is in talks over a new Napoli contract. Since joining Manchester United for £27.5 million a year and a half ago, McTominay’s been a game-changer, banging in 12 goals during Napoli’s title run and picking up the league’s player of the year award.

He’s missed the last couple of matches but looks set to return against Atalanta on Sunday. With two and a half years left on his current deal, Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport says his agent and the club are already discussing improved terms.

NAPLES OR MANCHESTER? SCOTT MCTOMINAY’S AGENT HOLDS CRITICAL CONTRACT TALKS WITH NAPOLI

Scott McTominay's agent is in Naples! Discover the details of the 2030 contract offer and why Manchester United want him back now.

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Napoli’s Results Dipped During McTominay’s Recent Two-Match Absence

Scott McTominay’s team has sat down with Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, to talk about a possible contract extension at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After 22 years at Manchester United, McTominay, now 29, made a £25.7 million move to Naples in August 2024.

He wasted no time making an impact. In his first season with Napoli, he played a key role as they clinched their second Serie A title in three years. He didn’t just help them win; he was named the league’s MVP. McTominay racked up 12 goals and six assists during that title run.

He’s kept up that form this season, too. So far, he’s scored 10 goals and picked up four assists across Serie A and the Champions League. Lately, though, he’s missed the last two matches, including Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Roma, after picking up an injury in the win over Genoa on February 7.

Even with him sidelined, there’s plenty of talk about his future in Naples. Corriere dello Sport says Napoli is already working on a new, improved contract for McTominay, who’s signed until 2028, after his standout first 18 months in Italy.

Antonio Conte’s side wants to keep him at the club until at least 2030. Reports say McTominay’s agent has flown to Naples for talks, and negotiations with Manna about the new deal are already underway.

So far, they haven’t hammered out the details on salary. But after proving himself as one of Serie A’s best, McTominay is set for a pay bump.

All this talk about a new deal comes just days after rumours surfaced about Manchester United being in the mix for McTominay’s return. Tuttomercatoweb reported on Friday that he’s considering heading back to the Premier League in 2026, with United leading the chase.

Supposedly, he and his girlfriend Cam Reading are thinking about a move home, and it sounds like a Premier League return could happen sooner rather than later.

Napoli’s global business development officer, Leonardo Giammarioli, spoke about the transfer buzz last week. He told talkSPORT the club is trying to fend off interest from other teams.

“Yeah, of course I’m worried,” he said. “But honestly, especially with Scott, he’s a great guy, we’d be happy if he reaches the next level in a couple of years. Maybe not now, maybe not next year, but he deserves it.

“Look at Stuttgart, they wanted to keep Nick Woltemade, but when Newcastle offered £65 million, there’s not much you can do. If the player wants to go and the money’s right, it’s tough for Italian clubs. The league keeps losing revenue.”

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