24 November 2023 , 09:31
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Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri issued a tongue-in-cheek response when quizzed about if he would potentially move to Saudi Arabia in the future.
The 64-year-old, now at Lazio, has been linked with a switch to the Saudi Pro League after a difficult start to the campaign. The Rome-based club sit 10th in the Serie A table after winning just five of their opening 12 matches.
Lazio have been mildly better in the Champions League and sit second in their group, having won two and drawn one of their four games so far. Sarri's men face Salernitana in their first game after the international break on Saturday, before hosting Celtic in Europe's elite club competition.
After a second-place finish in Serie A last season, Sarri has done a decent job at Stadio Olimpico despite the disappointing start and Saudi clubs are reporting tracking him. And when asked about whether he would consider moving to the Saudi Pro League, Sarri said: "Coach in Saudi Arabia? Can I smoke there? Then we'll see…"
The Italian was said to be get through 80 cigarettes a day before his time at Chelsea, while former employers Napoli built Sarri his own smoking area at the stadium. But, in recent years, arenas have become non-smoking venues and Sarri was spotted chewing a cigarette butt during his first game in charge of the Blues against Huddersfield.
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Sarri is into his third season at Lazio after replacing Simone Inzaghi in the summer of 2021. He guided Lazio to fifth in Serie A in his first year, earning them qualification for the Europa League. But Sarri's second campaign in charge was more successful, with Lazio winning 22 of 38 league matches and finishing second.
Maurizio Sarri's Lazio have endured a difficult start to the season (Getty Images)That earned them with a spot in the Champions League, but following a tricky start to the campaign, Sarri's future has been put under the spotlight. Speaking earlier this month, Sarri said: "I'm fine and I want to end my career here. A mixed start doesn't make me change my mind."
Meanwhile, ahead of his side's trip to Salernitana, Sarri outlined the biggest coaching mistakes of his career. "At Chelsea, it was challenging for me to immerse myself in an atypical club, without a sporting director, where no coach could last more than two years.," Sarri said.
"But in the last few months, I was enjoying it, and I was wrong when I wanted to leave, not so much from Chelsea but from the Premier League, where there is a unique beauty. Returning to Italy was a mistake."