Maurizio Sarri didn't mince words after Lazio's 0-3 defeat to newly crowned Serie A champions Inter Milan, calling his team's performance "soft" and "passive" in a match that exposed deeper issues within the squad.

While Sunday's league fixture at the Stadio Olimpico carried little weight in the Serie A standings—Inter had already sealed the title weeks ago—it was meant to serve as a dress rehearsal for Wednesday's Coppa Italia showdown between these same two sides. Instead, it became a stark reminder of the gap between the champions and the chasing pack.

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez opened the scoring early, then turned provider for Petar Sucic's strike before halftime. The second half brought more misery for the hosts: defender Alessio Romagnoli was shown a red card, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan added a third to put the result beyond doubt.

Speaking to DAZN and later in his press conference, the 67-year-old Sarri insisted that Inter "weren't extraordinary" and "didn't even push at full throttle." The real culprit, he argued, was Lazio's alarming complacency.

"Nothing from today's match should remain with us," Sarri said, his frustration palpable. "Inter weren't extraordinary and they didn't even push at full throttle. We paid for a dreadful approach—soft and passive. We needed to be aggressive, to attack spaces in possession the way we did when we were down to ten men. It was more our fault than the opponents' merit."

The veteran coach dissected the goals with surgical precision, highlighting a lack of defensive intensity that would worry any team preparing for a cup final. "Lautaro's goal was part of our overall approach. We conceded with two opponents inside our penalty area. Usually, Inter bring four or five there. The second goal came after five consecutive passes inside our own box without any response from us. With that kind of approach, we concede in the first half hour against every Serie A team."

Sarri also acknowledged a troubling lack of belief within his squad. With Atalanta sitting four points ahead in the race for seventh place—and a potential Europa Conference League spot—the Lazio boss admitted that he and his players may have subconsciously written off the chase before kickoff.

"It's not about changing mentality. Today's approach was the result of a match people thought meant nothing, but the huge mistake was believing it didn't matter. We had only a small chance of reaching seventh place, but that chance existed. A game like this creates major problems."

For Lazio, the damage isn't just the scoreline—it's the mentality. With a Coppa Italia clash against the same opponents just days away, Sarri's challenge is clear: convince his team that every match matters, or watch another opportunity slip through their fingers.