Lazio's official statement was brief. "S.S. Lazio announces that a mutual agreement has been reached to terminate the contracts of head coach Maurizio Sarri and his coaching staff. The club would like to thank the coach and his staff for their professionalism and wishes them great success in their future endeavours."
The club posted a video on X alongside it with the caption: "Grazie di tutto, Comandante."
Sarri, 67, returned to Lazio last summer after a first spell from 2021 to 2024 in which he guided the club to second place in Serie A β their best league finish since winning the title in 2000. That tenure ended with a mid-season resignation in March 2024 amid dressing room tensions and poor form, with the relationship between Sarri and president Claudio Lotito having deteriorated significantly.
His second spell was more difficult still. The club lost key players in every window, dealt with a transfer embargo, and saw fan groups stage stadium boycotts in protest at the club's direction. A public war of words between Sarri and Lotito played out across Italian media throughout the season.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Wednesday that Sarri has agreed terms with Atalanta, where he will replace Raffaele Palladino. Palladino, who arrived at the Bergamo club last November after the sacking of Ivan JuriΔ, will not be retained.
Gennaro Gattuso, 48, will be Sarri's successor at Lazio. Romano confirmed the appointment is done on a two-year contract. Gattuso has been without a club since resigning as Italy head coach following the Azzurri's failure to qualify for the World Cup β their third successive absence from the tournament. He previously managed AC Milan, Napoli, Fiorentina and Marseille as a head coach.
Lazio will not play European football next season after finishing ninth β outside the top seven in Serie A that would have guaranteed continental competition.
Sarri goes to Atalanta knowing the task. He has never won a league title in Italy despite coming close on multiple occasions at Napoli and Lazio. Bergamo gives him one more chance.