Roberto De Zerbi has revealed he wants the campaign to resume, adding that he ‘enjoys life’ at Sassuolo and claimed the ‘players are prepared to sacrifice’.
The Neroverdi sit 11th in Serie A during the forced break and the coach has claimed they are prepared to continue to fight for a place in the top half of the League.
Roberto De Zerbi has revealed he wants the campaign to resume, adding that he ‘enjoys life’ at Sassuolo and claimed the ‘players are prepared to sacrifice’.
The Neroverdi sit 11th in Serie A during the forced break and the coach has claimed they are prepared to continue to fight for a place in the top half of the League.
“We are obliged to stay at home, there’s something bad, serious and important going on, and we must adapt,” he told SportItalia. “I want the championship to continue as long as there are the right conditions, as long as we can continue without endangering anyone’s health.
“In football there are economic and other interests, it’s not just a sport.”
De Zerbi has experience as both player and coach, revealing that the current stars are prepared to sacrifice, but not without a cause.
“Footballers are not how you want to paint them,” he added. “We are facing a moment of crisis and the players will certainly have to take a step back because sacrifices will be needed.
“But then we have to face other issues and I liked the speech they made in England. Where will the money possibly cut from wages go? We need to think about the whole system. There will be no closure by the players in this regard.”
De Zerbi’s contract expires in June and he has revealed that it doesn’t affect his approach at the MAPEI Stadium but can’t confirm that he will stay on beyond his current deal.
“I don’t know, for now, I don’t think about it,” he said. “I work as if I have to stay at Sassuolo, but coaches can never make long-term plans. I’m here today, who knows about tomorrow…
“But I can tell you that I spoke to some players already thinking about next season, therefore I imagine continuing at Sassuolo.
“I really enjoy myself at Sassuolo. I don’t have to hide anything. Coaching a team with such talent is not easy to find. If it were up to me, it wouldn’t be easy to leave.”
The 40-year-old has listed his top three Italian coaches and claimed Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri comes out on top, with Luciano Spalletti at second ahead of his successor at Inter, Antonio Conte.
“Sarri is the best, Spalletti is number two and Conte third,” De Zerbi said. “I followed Spalletti’s first Roma with great interest, the one with Totti up front and Perrotta behind, as well as Conte’s Juventus and Sarri’s Napoli.”