Igor TudorLazio coach, in his press conference on the eve of the match against Sassuolo which will close the championship, also spoke about the neroverdi, who have already been relegated: “We want to finish in the best possible way, having a great match and I expect a great Lazio against a team that has already been relegated. This might make the match look a certain way but I don’t trust it. We have to give our best.”
How can Sassuolo put you in difficulty?
“From all points of view. Sassuolo’s squad doesn’t deserve relegation. I don’t trust anything or anyone, I’ve already talked about it with the guys. There are thousands of examples of games that looked like they had already been won and weren’t. I prepared it as a final.”
Do you have any regrets about not reaching the end of the championship fighting for the Champions League?
“From a mental point of view we have grown quite a bit. The last match against Inter is proof of this. They had already won but they fielded the best team. We put our cruelty on the pitch, I saw all Lazio’s matches this year and I had good responses, given that Inter are a team from another world. We also made some mistakes but that’s normal. We have to learn quickly and in recent months I have discovered something about my players.”
Can Atalanta be a model for Lazio?
“We all know Gasperini’s football, he has done well for many years. He likes society and is a model to follow. The growth has allowed them to have a great team, with planning, ideas and with the coach at the center of the project. This is the model to follow not only in Italy, but also in the rest of Europe.”
Should the squad be revolutionized?
“There are perfect people who can stay, others who struggle more. However, I have to congratulate the team, they all made me available and we went well. Tomorrow we will sit down and plan the future and next season.”
Kamada is in the balance. Are you trying to understand if you will stay at Lazio?
“His will to stay is there. He will have to meet with the club to move forward. I repeat, the player’s will is there, we hope to get to the point very soon.”
He said that the Atalanta model should also be followed because it puts the coach at the center of the project. Do you feel this way at Lazio?
“I feel important from all points of view. When we spoke to each other at the beginning these were the agreements, otherwise I would not have accepted. Lazio has always given importance to the coach and protected him. I liked this and it is one of the reasons that made me decide to come here. We have had two good months with the director, now we have to do a great job of planning for next season, because if we make mistakes we will suffer. I have to be important in my choices, after the match we will get to work.”
It will be Felipe Anderson’s last match. If it were up to you, would you have armored it?
“You know him better than me. What I saw was a boy that everyone would like to have, exceptional and even too good from a human point of view. He always smiles, doesn’t mess up and has human values that are always needed in the locker room. Then there is the player, complete, who can play anywhere. I said everything in my own words and answered the question this way.”
