November 30th 2024.
In 2019, Sarri made the tough decision to leave Chelsea after only one season as their manager. Looking back, he now admits it was one of the biggest mistakes of his career. When he was brought in from Napoli in the summer of 2018, he had high hopes of leading the Blues back to their former glory in English football. And although there were some ups and downs during his time at Stamford Bridge, Sarri managed to guide the team to a successful season.
Under his guidance, Chelsea dominated the Europa League and secured a top four finish in the Premier League. They even made it to the League Cup final, although it will always be remembered for the heated confrontation between Sarri and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who infamously refused to be substituted. Despite these achievements, Sarri decided to leave at the end of the 2018-19 season to become the manager of Juventus in his home country of Italy.
There were a few reasons behind his decision to leave Chelsea. One of them was his desire to be closer to his family, especially his aging parents. But the main factor was his strained relationship with the club's owner, Roman Abramovich. Sarri claims that the Russian billionaire was not allowed to enter England at the time, which made it difficult for them to communicate. In fact, the only time they saw each other was during games abroad, and even then, their interactions were limited.
Looking back, Sarri now sees his decision to leave as a mistake. He admits that he could have stayed at Chelsea and believes that it would have been better for his career. He explains that at the time, he was worried about the situation inside the club and the lack of a clear sporting director. His main point of contact was Marina Granovskaia, the Chelsea director, and it was her who negotiated his release to Juventus. Sarri also reveals that he was offered the opportunity to stay at Chelsea, but he ultimately decided to move on.
Reflecting on his time at Chelsea, Sarri acknowledges that there were a few rough patches, such as their defeats against Manchester City and Bournemouth. However, he also remembers the good times, including their third place finish in the Premier League, their run in the Carabao Cup, and of course, their triumph in the Europa League. With all that said, Sarri is now ready to start a new chapter in his career, although he is not sure where that will be just yet. But one thing is for sure, he and his staff are eager and prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.
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