Zarate: 'I regret leaving Lazio' and reveals Kolarov dressing room clash

Former Lazio and West Ham forward Mauro Zarate has expressed regret over his 2013 departure from the Serie A club, revealing a training ground clash with former teammate Aleksandar Kolarov. In a wide-ranging interview with Diretta.it, the retired Argentine forward, who is now pursuing a career in coaching, opened up about his career and his biggest regrets.

Zarate, who retired in 2022 after a spell in Argentina with Platense, pinpointed his decision to leave Lazio as a key career misstep. "Leaving Lazio," Zarate stated, was one of his main professional regrets, a list that also included his departures from West Ham and Boca Juniors. The 37-year-old is now preparing for a career in management, having recently acquired his coaching badges.

The former striker also recounted a fiery incident with former teammate Aleksandar Kolarov during their time together in Rome. Zarate confirmed a physical altercation with the Serbian defender, which he described as a brief, intense clash typical of high-pressure training environments. "We had a fight, we went at it. Then he came up to me, made a joke, and started laughing. That's Serbians for you," Zarate said, downplaying the long-rumoured dressing room clash.

Zarate, who also had spells at Inter and Fiorentina, reflected on a career that took him from his native Argentina to the Premier League and Serie A. He expressed a particular fondness for his time at Lazio, where he scored 28 goals in 110 appearances between 2008 and 2013. His subsequent move to West Ham in 2014 was another decision he now looks back on with regret.

Now focused on his new career as a coach, Zarate outlined his tactical philosophy, favouring a 3-4-2-1 formation with a focus on possession-based, attacking football. When asked if he would sign a player like his younger self, he was unequivocal. "Yes, I would like to have that kind of player," he said, praising the type of creative, attacking talent he once was. He cited former managers Marcelo Bielsa and Gabriel Heinze as major influences on his coaching ideas.

Despite the regrets, Zarate expressed pride in his career, particularly his successful stint at Boca Juniors. He also dismissed the notion that his move to Boca was motivated by a desire to play for the Argentine national team, a suggestion he firmly denied. As he transitions to the touchline, Zarate is clear about his ambition: to begin his managerial career in his native Argentina, working his way up from the lower divisions to prove his worth as a coach.