2014 world champion Miroslav Klose has the confidence to succeed resigned coach Maurizio Sarri at his troubled former club Lazio. “Yes, of course, of course. I can be there tomorrow. I would do it,” said 45-year-old Klose, record goalscorer for the German national soccer team, on the sidelines of the Champions League game between FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli on Amazon’s “Prime Video” streaming service. However, Lazio announced on Wednesday morning that their previous assistant coach, Giovanni Martusciello, would be taking over the management of the team.
On Tuesday, Italian media reported that Sarri had announced his departure from the Romans after four competitive defeats in a row. The club confirmed the separation on Wednesday. The 65-year-old Italian has been coaching the current ninth-placed team in Serie A since the summer of 2021. The contract with the second major Italian capital club alongside AS Roma, which was supposedly worth four million euros per year, actually ran until mid-2025.
Lazio also thanked Sarri for his commitment in a statement. After a 1-0 home win last week, Lazio ultimately clearly failed against Bayern Munich with a 3-0 defeat in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League. There have recently been three defeats in a row in Serie A. Sarri also complained about the club’s transfer policy.
According to Italian media, Klose, who played for Lazio from 2022 to 2016, was discussed as a candidate to succeed Sarri. During his time as a player, the striker was very popular with the Romans. Klose ended his playing career at Lazio in 2016 after stints in Kaiserslautern, Bremen and Munich. He began his coaching career in the youth ranks at FC Bayern, and his only position as head coach so far was at the Austrian first division club SCR Altach. Last March he was released there after 24 games due to continued unsuccessfulness.
A comment from Christopher Meltzer Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 9 Christopher Meltzer, Munich Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 8 A comment from Peter Penders Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 3
Klose recently announced that he had already offered himself to his former club 1. FC Kaiserslautern when they were looking for a new coach in December after parting ways with Dirk Schuster. However, the club decided on Dimitrios Grammozis, who has since been released again. The coach of the Lauterers, who are currently fighting to stay in the second Bundesliga, is now Friedhelm Funkel.
