Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis hit back at Max Allegri and assured he’d “never swap Maurizio Sarri for Pep Guardiola.”
The patron saved the club from bankruptcy and rebuilt it coming up via Serie C to the Champions League.
“After 13 years of presidency, there are no doubts that the Scudetto and Champions League are objectives I want to achieve,” the movie producer told Sky Sport Italia and Mediaset Premium.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis hit back at Max Allegri and assured he’d “never swap Maurizio Sarri for Pep Guardiola.”
The patron saved the club from bankruptcy and rebuilt it coming up via Serie C to the Champions League.
“After 13 years of presidency, there are no doubts that the Scudetto and Champions League are objectives I want to achieve,” the movie producer told Sky Sport Italia and Mediaset Premium.
“I don’t want to just win a Scudetto and walk away, either, as I intend to win many. Napoli haven’t had much silverware, so if we can find the kind of consistency I do with my movies and actors, then we can open up a winning era.
“I didn’t know much about football, but I tried to apply the same rules as movie production. At the end of the first year in Serie A, they told me we were 525th in the UEFA ranking, while now we are 12th.”
Juventus Coach Allegri told Tuttosport today that it was easier to play beautiful football than it was to win.
“Everyone tries to push forward their own agenda. I say we are both beautiful and winning. I think Gonzalo Higuain is missing Sarri more than the other way around. Our Coach is a gentleman and a very sweet man, so doesn’t want to get into fights – unlike me.
“Lots of strikers had their best seasons with us, as Edinson Cavani got 30 goals, Ezequiel Lavezzi bloomed here and even Fabio Quagliarella did well.
“Sarri is a great Coach who came from the lower leagues and with Napoli his ascent has been exponential. He is a young mature Coach, because despite his age, he accepts innovation. He studies football and puts into practice what he learns.”
Napoli are going to take on Manchester City in the Champions League later this month and Sarri’s style has been compared to that of ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola.
“I would never exchange Sarri for Guardiola, even if they were to earn the same salary. Sarri is a serious professional who studies his players for months before letting them on the field, which is why I didn’t want to revolutionise the squad this summer.”
Instead, the Partenopei focused on keeping hold of their best talents, including Ballon d’Or nominee Dries Mertens.
“We improved everyone’s salaries and that was the best transfer move we could make. I worked for a year on his renewal, so it’s only right that he now relishes this moment.”