Maurizio Sarri wants to "continue and finish with" Lazio after the Biancocelesti tightened their grip on second place in Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Monza.
Goals from Pedro and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic moved Sarri's side five points clear of third-placed Inter, while they recorded a sixth successive clean sheet for the second time this season.
The former Napoli and Juventus coach, who has two years remaining on his contract at Lazio, was asked about his future following victory at Stadio Brianteo on Sunday.
But the 64-year-old is eager to continue his project with Lazio, while also praising the character demonstrated by his players.
"I have two more years, and I'm fine at Lazio," he said during his post-match press conference. "They made me feel important.
"If something sensational doesn't happen, I want to continue with Lazio and finish with this team. It's a club that gets inside you. I like this Lazio a lot.
"I had asked for maturity in not repeating the mistakes of the past. And the signs of maturity are coming, we played a serious game against a difficult team to face.
"We have quality, technique, breadth. Humility was needed, and we faced [Monza] in the right way."
Milinkovic-Savic made history with a tremendous free-kick – his seventh in Serie A – representing his 65th Lazio goal, making him the club's leading foreign scorer of all time.
The Serbia international also ended his goal drought having last found the net against Milan in January, and was thrilled to answer his critics.
Although the midfielder, who is out of contract in June 2024, refused to discuss speculation surrounding his future.
"These are three enormous points for us, as we are still in second place for a while longer," he told DAZN. "Finally, I managed to score and I really missed that feeling.
"There has been a lot of criticism and negative words. I tell you the truth, I did not accept them well, they knocked me down. I didn't think I deserved them after everything I've done over the years for this club.
"If I read too much, I hurt myself, but I accepted them, I worked and today finally came what I was waiting for and what everyone was waiting for.
"I am concentrated on the pitch, helping the team and achieving our objectives for the season. I don't want to talk about the contract renewal, we'll see at the end of the season."
Gasperini plays down Atalanta Scudetto talk despite Napoli rout
Gian Piero Gasperini played down talk of Atalanta competing for the Scudetto despite their 3-0 humbling of Serie A leaders Napoli on Sunday.
Atalanta triumphed 3-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Ademola Lookman scoring a first-half brace before Mateo Retegui made the points safe for La Dea.
They are now up to third in the table, just three points behind leaders Napoli and two adrift of reigning champions Inter in second.
Gasperini's team have been tipped to challenge for the title after inflicting Antonio Conte's first three-goal defeat in a home Serie A match since 2009, but he is simply taking things one game at a time.
"There are still 27 matches to go, and if you see Atalanta as winning the Scudetto I respect your opinion," he told reporters.
"However all the games are different, I don't know if we will always manage to have such a strong structure.
"If we manage to widen the circle a bit with other players we will progress but we will see further on."
Gasperini added integrating Atalanta's new players will be key, given the rigours of combining a title push with a potential Champions League run.
"The core of the team is very strong because last year we faced the Europa League and secured a Champions League spot, playing every three days," he said.
"We lost Koop [Teun Koopmeiners] but we've brought in several players, with Retegui adapting the quickest.
"How well we can integrate these new players will determine our competitiveness."
Vice-captain Marten de Roon echoed those sentiments, saying: "Our team achieved a great result, we showed that we are at a high level.
"We are not thinking about the Scudetto yet, it is a word very far from our objective. We must remain humble; at the end of the championship we will see where we get to.
"We have a very clear way of playing, always pressing high to keep the attackers high."
Inzaghi urges Nerazzurri improvements ahead of Arsenal, Napoli clashes
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal following their Serie A win over Venezia, with matches against Arsenal and Napoli coming up.
Lautaro Martinez's first home goal in league action since February handed the Nerazzurri a hard-fought 1-0 win at San Siro, though they missed several chances to make their victory more comfortable.
Inzaghi's team racked up 20 shots worth 2.41 expected goals (xG) to Venezia's seven attempts and 1.07 xG during Sunday's game.
They have now scored in each of their 28 league games at San Siro after failing to net in three in a row between March and April 2023, but Inzaghi knows they must take their chances when they face Arsenal and Napoli this week.
"We should’ve been more clinical, but to be honest, I congratulated the team because the first half was excellent even if we wasted big opportunities," he told DAZN.
"Once we broke the deadlock, the big regret is that we didn’t kill off the game and when it is in the balance, anything can still happen."
Arsenal visit San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday, before Napoli – who are currently one point clear at the top of Serie A – make the trip on Sunday.
"In two days we are up against one of the best teams in Europe with huge quality, so clearly my focus right now is on Arsenal," Inzaghi said.
The 48-year-old expressed concern about the challenging schedule ahead but felt relieved after seeing key players return.
"This is our fifth game in two weeks, there are another two to come against Arsenal and Napoli, but we’ve got Hakan Calhanoglu back and Francesco Acerbi will be available on Wednesday too," he said.
"Carlos Augusto is the only one still out and as a coach I will need everyone."
Napoli 0-3 Atalanta: Lookman double stuns Serie A leaders
Ademola Lookman scored a first-half brace as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli with a 3-0 away win on Sunday, moving up to second in the table.
Lookman – who this week finished 14th in the voting for the Ballon d’Or – opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a volley from close range after being teed up by Charles De Ketelaere.
He then doubled La Dea’s lead after the half-hour mark with a long-range strike from another De Ketelaere pass, after Scott McTominay had rattled the post for Napoli.
Substitute Mateo Retegui added the third in stoppage time, sweeping home from Raoul Bellanova’s cross as Gian Piero Gasperini’s men extended their winning run to five league games.
Atalanta, provisionally second on 22 points, have cut the gap to their opponents at the summit to three points.
They are one point above third-placed Inter – who have a game in hand – and Juventus in fourth.
Data Debrief: Lookman deals Conte reality check
Napoli entered Sunday’s game with the only 100% home record in Serie A this season, having won five of five on their own turf under new boss Conte.
However, they were given a harsh reality check by a potential Scudetto rival as the former Chelsea and Tottenham coach lost a home Serie A match by a three-goal margin for the first time since 2009, when he oversaw Atalanta’s 5-2 defeat to Juventus.
Lookman was the architect, and he has now been involved in more goals across all competitions in 2024 than any other Serie A player (28 – 17 goals, 11 assists).
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