Maurizio Sarri talks about his career journey, highlighting his positive start at Chelsea and his mixed feelings about his stay at Juventus. He also discussed the challenges of implementing a new style of play at Atalanta.

Sarri: ‘Positive Start Only with Chelsea, Bad Memories

According to Sports.

Background

Maurizio Sarri, Atalanta coach, has diverse experience in Serie A, including winning the Scudetto with Juventus. However, bad memories from his tenure at Juventus appear to be influencing his current outlook. Sarri is now focused on the development of Atalanta, who are trying to adapt to a different approach to the game.

Why this is important

Maurizio Sarri's statements about the start of his career at Chelsea and the unpleasant experience at Juventus provide insight into the challenges facing coaches in Serie A. Sarri, who is now coaching Atalanta, is trying to implement a new style of play after years of using a three-back formation. This shows how important adaptation is in Italian football, especially in a competitive league like Serie A.

Main Points

Sarri: 'Positive Start Only with Chelsea, Bad Memories.
Maurizio Sarri talks about his career journey, highlighting his positive start at Chelsea and his mixed feelings about his stay at Juventus.
Sarri: ‘Only positive start was with Chelsea, not good memories of Juventus’ - Yahoo Sports.

Atalanta coach, Maurizio Sarri, emphasized that his team does not need to worry about a less than encouraging start to the season. Sarri stated that "the only positive start to my career was at Chelsea," while he admitted that he did not have "good memories" from his spell at Juventus. The meeting between Atalanta and Juventus will take place at the Allianz Stadium, Turin, on Sunday, at 17:00 UK time (18:00 CEST time).

Even though Sarri managed to win the Scudetto with Juventus, the experience only lasted one season in 2019/20 and was not remembered well by either side. "It was a strange season with stadiums practically empty since March because of the pandemic, and maybe that's one of the reasons why I don't have good memories of that experience," Sarri told Sky Sport Italia via Tuttomercatoweb. "However, I have no regrets."

Currently, the 64-year-old coach is trying to implement a new style of play at Atalanta, which for a decade has only used a three-defender formation. Despite bagging three wins, one draw and two defeats in Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Conference League, Sarri admits that there are still several problems that need to be addressed.

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"I think this is a similar experience to the one I had at Empoli. After nine games, we were at the bottom of the table, but we managed to reach the final of the promotion play-offs. At Napoli, we had two or three points after four games. This is a difficulty I have faced throughout my career. The only positive start I had was at Chelsea, but for the others, it was always difficult," he said. Sarri explained that the more different the previous style of play is to his own, the more difficulties there will be at the start.

"This is a building year, neither the sporting director nor the club have set specific targets for the short term, they are talking about building for the long term," he added. Sarri emphasized that simplifying the problem to just three or four defenders does not fully understand the issue at hand. "The most important thing is how to defend and attack, how the team moves and thinks collectively. The system is important, but not decisive."

Atalanta were also active in the summer transfer window, with several of their transfers completed towards the end of the session, including the arrival of Jonathan Rowe from Bologna. "I have never met a coach who was 100 percent satisfied with how the club worked in the transfer market," said Sarri. "We have to evaluate the whole group and not just the newcomers. Some of them are ready, others need to be developed, but overall we brought in quality players, and that's the most important thing."

What happened next

Atalanta will face Juventus at the Allianz Stadium, which is an important moment for Sarri to prove his team's progress. With a record of three wins, one draw and two defeats, Sarri needs to improve his team's performance in order to compete better in Serie A. This match will also be an opportunity for Sarri to assess the effectiveness of his new style of play in front of his former club.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Sarri say about Atalanta's start to the season?

Sarri stated that his team did not need to worry about a less than encouraging start to the season and admitted that the only positive start to his career was at Chelsea.

Who confirmed Sarri's bad experience at Juventus?

Maurizio Sarri himself confirmed that he does not have good memories from his tenure at Juventus.

Why doesn't Sarri have good memories at Juventus?

Sarri mentioned that it was a 'strange season' with stadiums practically empty since March due to the pandemic, which may be one of the reasons why he doesn't have good memories.

What changes has Sarri implemented at Atalanta?

Sarri is trying to implement a new style of play at Atalanta, which for a decade has only used a three-defender formation.

How is Atalanta's performance at the start of this season?

Atalanta has bagged three wins, one draw and two defeats in Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Conference League.

Sarri: 'Positive Start Only with Chelsea, Bad Memories