Maurizio Sarri has not been given any assurances over his future with Lazio after a "devastating" season, with reports now linking him with a return to Napoli.

Napoli and Lazio face off in Serie A on Saturday, with the hosts looking to tighten their grip on second place and avoid losing further ground on champions-elect Inter. 

Lazio, meanwhile, are down in 10th place, nine points adrift of the top seven and highly unlikely to be playing in Europe next campaign.

While the Biancocelesti have had their fair share of injury problems this season, their position has seen Sarri's future called into question, having only returned for a second spell at the Stadio Olimpico last June.

There have also been suggestions he could be on Napoli's shortlist if Antonio Conte decides to leave the 2024-25 Scudetto winners, with a return to the Italy dugout mooted for him.

Sarri previously coached Napoli between 2015 and 2018, winning 79 of his 114 Serie A matches at the helm. 

His 69% win rate is the highest of any coach in their history in the competition, just ahead of Luciano Spalletti (68%), though Sarri fell short of delivering the Scudetto.

Lazio suffered a demoralising 1-0 defeat at Fiorentina in their most recent Serie A match on Monday, and afterwards, Sarri admitted his future was out of his hands.

"I am not worried about my future. For Lazio, we'll see what the plans are," he said.

"I honestly don't know what the plans are for the future. I can only say this season has been devastating for me.

"There have been many problems this season. We'll see what the club has in mind for the future, and then we'll see what I think as a consequence of that."

Conte reportedly remains a top target for the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), as they seek a replacement for Gennaro Gattuso after failing to qualify for a third straight World Cup.

Napoli's most recent game was a 1-1 draw at Parma, with Scott McTominay's equaliser on the hour cancelling out a first-minute opener from Gabriel Strefazza. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Napoli – Scott McTominay

McTominay has scored three goals in his last five Serie A matches, but all of them have come away from home. 

The Napoli midfielder has not scored a home goal in the competition since January 7, against Hellas Verona.

He has now gone five home games without scoring; only between October 2024 and January 2025 (seven home matches) has he endured a longer drought in the competition.

Lazio – Edoardo Motta

Two of the three goalkeepers with the best save percentage in Serie A this season, among those with at least five appearances, play for Lazio: Motta (81.3%) and Ivan Provedel (76.5%), with only Roma's Mile Svilar (77.2%) between them.

With Provedel out injured, Motta has another opportunity to impress at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. 

MATCH PREDICTION – NAPOLI WIN

Napoli have won 55 of their 139 Serie A matches against Lazio (D43 L41) and have only achieved more victories in the competition against Fiorentina (56). 

The Partenopei have only secured one win in their last six league encounters with the Biancocelesti (D2 L3), though that 2-0 victory came in this season's reverse fixture, in January.

Conte's team have picked up 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six Serie A matches, more than any other side in this period (followed by Juventus with 14 points).

And they have also not lost a home Serie A match since December 8, 2024, which was against Lazio. 

Since then, they have recorded 19 wins and seven draws in 26 home games. Across Serie A, B and C, the Partenopei have not registered a longer unbeaten home league run since the period between November 2004 and June 2007 (51 games, excluding play-offs).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Napoli – 60.9%

Lazio – 16.7%

Draw – 22.4%