Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri on relationship with Jose Mourinho: “Mourinho the person is great”

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri has, on Sunday, provided an insight into his relationship with Roma counterpart Jose Mourinho.

For those who may have missed it, something of a war of words erupted between Sarri and Mourinho, in the buildup to today’s Derby della Capitale.

The pair fired a series of jibes at one another by way of the media, with the latter having been particularly harsh in insinuating that Sarri’s lack of silverware across his managerial career is likely down to his attitude.

The two tacticians then went toe-to-toe this evening, ultimately cancelling one another out en route to an uneventful goalless stalemate.

And yet, they were seen looking in good spirits when interacting on the sideline on the back of the full-time whistle at the Stadio Olimpico, a back-and-forth which was put to Sarri himself in his post-match press conference.

And the ex-Chelsea headmaster approached the subject lightheartedly, confirming that he and Mourinho view one another as a ‘right pain in the butt’: 

“We had already crossed paths before the game. I told him: ‘You are a right pain in the butt’. He replied: ‘For that matter so are you!’

Sarri continued:

“I don’t like dealing with Mourinho the media character, but Mourinho the person is great.”

Conor Laird | GIFN