Maurizio Sarri Opens Up on 'Conflicted' Relationship With Chelsea Players Last Season

Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has revealed that he had a 'conflicted' relationship with the Blues dressing room last season.

The Italian left Stamford Bridge to take over at Juventus in the summer, after just one year in the hot seat. During his time at the club​, he led to Chelsea to a third placed finish in the Premier League and also won the Europa League - beating Arsenal 4-1 in the final. 

Maurizio Sarri

Despite this success, Sarri's tenure was not always plain sailing. He had a public falling out with Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Carabao Cup final and this sparked rumours that he did command respect within the squad.

Shedding some light on his time at Chelsea, the former Napoli boss revealed that his relationship with the players was often complicated. 

"I had a conflicted relationship with the dressing room but, when I told them I’d be leaving, many of them cried," he said to Juventus' YouTube channel (via ​Evening Standard). "I’m not so much a person who pats others on the back. I talk a lot about what they do wrong and less about the good things they do."

Sarri also ruled out a return to the Premier League in the future, while admitting that he did miss certain aspects of his time in London. 

Maurizio Sarri

When asked if he missed England, he replied: "I would never live there [again], I don't understand how the Italians who are there do it. As for the football, it’s a different story. I miss the ​Premier League. It has an extraordinary technical level and an incredible atmosphere."

Sarri's first season at ​Juventus has been fairly successful. The Old Lady are currently top of Serie A - albeit in by a single point - and they have progressed to the semi finals of the Coppa Italia. 

They also remain in the ​Champions League, though they will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their round of 16 tie against Lyon when football returns. 


For more from Matt O'Connor-Simpson, follow him on Twitter!


Source : 90min