Lazio have lost 12 of their 28 Serie A matches this season

Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has resigned after a fifth defeat in six games in all competitions.

Monday’s 2-1 home defeat by Udinese left Lazio ninth in Serie A, seven points off the final European qualification place.

They were knocked out of the Champions League last week by Bayern Munich.

Sarri, 65, joined Lazio in 2021 and led them to second place in Serie A last season, their best league finish since they won the title in 1999-2000.

Assistant manager Giovanni Martusciello has been placed in interim charge.

Lazio travel to third-bottom Frosinone on Saturday. They face Juventus in the semi-finals of the Italian Cup over two legs next month.

Sarri spent one season at Chelsea in 2018-19, when he won the Europa League, finished third in the Premier League and reached the Carabao Cup final.

Before joining Chelsea he led hometown club Napoli to two second-place finishes in three years and was named Serie A manager of the year in 2016-17.

He won the title with Juventus in 2019-20.