"The suit? I don't know, I still have to talk to the club about it. Off the field, the contract obliges me to wear the club uniform, but on the field I would prefer not to wear it." The new Juventus coach immediately resolves a first doubt Maurizio Sarri, during the welcome press conference, at which the Tuscan coach – who has signed a three-year contract until 2022 – he showed up in a jacket and tie, accompanied by sporting director Fabio Paratici. "I'm happy to be here today", these were Sarri's first public words as Juventus coach.
"This club was very determined in wanting me, something like this had never happened to me in my 30-year career," added the coach, who then inevitably had to answer journalists' questions about the "betrayal" against Napoli: “I respected everyone, this choice is part of my professional career. In recent months I had doubts about staying, then the club took them away by introducing Ancelotti. Already last year important Italian teams were looking for me, but I chose abroad so as not to go directly to a rival. In Naples I gave my all, I gave 110%: I was born there and as a child I was a Napoli fan. Now I'm ready to give 110% for Juventus."
If the move to black and white did not go down well with the Napoli fans, specularly the arrival of Sarri in Turin was greeted with a lot of skepticism even by the black and white fans: "I'm used to it, it's always been like this - commented the Tuscan coach -. At Empoli there was skepticism because I came from Serie C, at Napoli they were skeptical because I came from Empoli, at Chelsea because I came from Naples”. Sarri also spent a few words for Chelsea, whose club was also publicly thanked by Paratici at the opening of the conference ("Marina is one of the best managers in our world"): "Chelsea was a wonderful experience, but I felt the need to return to Italy. And I couldn't refuse the offer from the most important club in Italy, which sought me out in a strong and compact way”.
Will he be able to overcome skepticism with a good game, in a club where "winning is the only thing that matters"? “Having fun is not antithetical to winning – is Sarri-thought -. If a team has fun, it's easier for them to win. Collective enthusiasm is fuel for achieving results, having fun and playing well doesn't mean being frivolous”. However, there are many responsibilities at Juventus: we need to confirm ourselves in Italy after 8 Scudettos in a row and try to win the blessed Champions League: "The responsibility is higher in Serie A, where Juve rightly has the burden of being the favorites and having to win . Europe, on the other hand, is a dream, a very difficult goal. I'll wake up every morning thinking about the way to win the Champions League, but in Europe there are 8-9 teams that have the same strength of Juventus".
On technical issues, the new Juventus coach glossed over the formation ("Chelsea's 4-3-3 was very different from that of Napoli: I will start from the characteristics of the players, the formation is a consequence"), while he immediately dedicated words important to the symbolic player of his new team, Cristiano Ronaldo: “In recent years I have found myself coaching strong, very strong players. Now I find the world number one, who holds almost all the records in football. I'd like to help him beat others, maybe just the one with goals in Serie A, which I already made Higuain win at Napoli”.
Finally, a thought at the level of Serie A and the news on the bench: “I am happy for Marco Giampaolo, one of the best around who has found an important bench. Fonseca from Roma is also interesting. There's a lot of excitement in Serie A, there's a bubbly atmosphere in terms of coaches." On any booing at the San Paolo: “If they applaud me, it will be a gesture of love. If they boo me, too. I will continue to love him equally, in both cases”.
