‘My biggest mistake’ - former Chelsea coach on leaving the club

Italian coach Maurizio Sarri, who managed Chelsea during the 2018-19 season, decided to leave the club and return to Italy after the season concluded.

Sarri recently revealed that this decision was his biggest mistake. According to him, there was a solid foundation to stay and continue working at Chelsea.

"Leaving Chelsea was my biggest mistake. There was a good basis to stay there and continue working at the club; I made a big mistake at that moment. We won the Europa League, the project was excellent, but unfortunately, I wanted to return to Italy," stated Sarri.

Recall that on July 14, 2018, Sarri was appointed as the head coach of Chelsea. He became the sixth Italian coach at the helm of the Blues. Upon signing the contract, he requested that his appointment not be announced on Friday the 13th.

In the Europa League, Chelsea won five out of six group stage matches, progressing through the playoffs by defeating Malmo, Dynamo Kyiv, Slavia Prague, and Eintracht Frankfurt, ultimately reaching the final. In the decisive match, they defeated their London rivals Arsenal 4-1. This trophy marked Sarri's first in his coaching career, also making the sixty-year-old coach the oldest ever to win the Europa League.

On June 16, 2019, Sarri was appointed as the head coach of Juventus. Then, in June 2021, Sarri signed a contract with Lazio. On March 12, 2024, Maurizio Sarri left his position as head coach of the club after four consecutive defeats.