Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri claims that his one-year spell at Chelsea has been a “really important” step in his development as a manager.
The 60-year-old swapped west London for Turin earlier this summer following the departure of Massimiliano Allegri, who had just lifted a fifth consecutive Serie A title with the Bianconeri.
In his first major interview since taking over at Juventus, Sarri insisted that his time at Chelsea was vital in his continued development as a manager, while he also outlined what his immediate plans are moving forward with the club.
“I think it was a really important experience for me because I had to change language, the [style of] football, mentality and culture,” Sarri told the Juventus media.
“It’s not easy but in the end, you go to work in a wonderful championship. The Premier League, at the moment, is the most difficult – the most important.
“I think that I have returned to Italy better than before; with more experience, with more experience [playing] different football, with different players. I think it was really very useful for me.”
After reminiscing about his brief spell in England, Sarri tried to play down any ambitions of matching Allegri’s record with silverware at Juventus, but he added that the club’s style of play would be imperative to how they go about winning from now on.
“Victories are always the result of your work,” he added. “I have a hard legacy to follow, as it’s a club that has won a lot, it’s going to be hard in the next five years to repeat the results of the last five, as well as the numbers reached.
“So, we have to try and forget about all these responsibilities and to have fun and entertain while prolonging these sequences of victories and to experience playing in Europe for what it is.
“I mean that such a winning and overwhelming Juve in Italy, makes you think it should be the same in Europe, but unfortunately, Serie A is not like this.
“Juventus at a European level represents one of the top 10 sides. However, the fact that in the top 10 there are five English sides and this helps you realise the difference between the levels right now.”
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