Luis Alberto: "The Final Straw For Me Was Sarri’s Departure. I Had Just Renewed My Contract And Thought I’d Stay For Life. But I Didn’t Want To Be In A Place Where Things Felt Off."

Luis Alberto’s departure from Lazio after his contract renewal last summer wasn’t a typical farewell. After Lazio's match against Salernitana last season, the Spanish midfielder announced in a DAZN interview that he was leaving the club. Recently, he opened up to Cronache di Spogliatoio about his experiences and emotions during this time.

On leaving Lazio, Luis Alberto shared:  

"I never wanted to leave Lazio. I could’ve stayed forever. But can anyone name someone who left Lazio on good terms? Just look at Cataldi—he was there from a young age. It’s frustrating because, at other clubs, they at least let you have a proper goodbye, maybe even a press conference. But at Lazio, Radu, Lulic, Milinkovic-Savic, none of them got that chance. The club doesn’t even talk to you when you leave, and that’s a shame. Lazio is special, but not because of the people inside; it’s the fans that make it special. I have many friends who are supporters, and when you talk to them, it’s everything. They put Lazio even before their own families."

He also commented on his relationships with figures like Tare, Inzaghi, and Sarri, saying:  

"Inzaghi and Tare made us happy while they were there. I had my disagreements with Tare, but we were both straightforward people, and we worked things out. But once they left, it was all over for me. Even when Sarri left, I knew the cycle had ended. I had just renewed my contract and thought I’d stay for life. But I didn’t want to be in a place where things felt off. I’ve never been one to stay quiet, and I knew it was time for me to leave and find peace in my football. I didn’t want to join another Italian team, and Lazio’s transfer fee demands were too high for a move to Spain. I had heard good things about Doha from some players, and I’ve found a better quality of life here. It wasn’t about money—I had that before. The final straw for me was Sarri’s departure. We clashed at times, but I appreciated his honesty. When I expressed my desire to leave for Cadiz on loan, he noticed my efforts in training and told me, ‘If you keep training like this, you can play anywhere.’ I trusted him and stayed. We talked about the Qatar offer, and he encouraged me to renew my contract. I was always vocal on the pitch, trying to help the coach, but when he left, I was sad. His video sessions were long, and for us Spaniards, watching so many videos during siesta time was tough! But tactically, Sarri was the best I ever had."

Reflecting on the 2019/2020 season, Luis Alberto added:  

"I still think about it—what if we could’ve won the Scudetto in 2020? We were so close. But then COVID hit, and the lockdown changed everything. We were on track until the injuries started piling up—Leiva, Cataldi, Marusic, and Patric all went down. After two months of inactivity, our rhythm was gone. By February, we were winning games early, like the one against Juventus, and we had 17 wins out of 22 matches. We even won the Italian Super Cup. It felt natural to talk about winning the Scudetto in the locker room. But then we faced Milan without Ciro and Caicedo, and after the lockdown, we blew a 0-2 lead against Atalanta and lost 3-2. We often talked about how things could’ve turned out differently. Still, we made it to the Champions League, which was crucial for the club and the fans. I was happy for Inzaghi when he eventually won the Scudetto because, for us, he wasn’t just a coach—he was like a father. Even those who didn’t play much felt valued under him. He made a real difference, not just as a coach but as a person."

"Inzaghi was with Lazio for 21 years, and when we lost a match, it really affected him. You could see it the next morning—he was devastated, and as players, we felt it too. It made us think, 'We have to win the next one for him.' He gave us everything, and we had a lot of freedom with him. We could ask him to adjust the training schedule, like, 'Mister, can we train later because we have dinner tomorrow?' or 'I need to take my son somewhere, can I come in a bit later?' He understood, being a former player and a father himself. He’d just say, 'No problem, go ahead. Football is important, but life comes first.' That kind of attitude stays with you. He would always lose his voice after games, so during training the next day, you could barely hear him speak! Cataldi had the best impression of him—it was spot on, perfect."