Sarri: Italy 'obsessed' with rotation

By Football Italia staff

Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri claims Italian football is “obsessed with rotation” and plans to turn Federico Bernardeschi into “a specialist midfielder”.

Sarri has long been criticised for not utilising his squads, and he has been urged to make better use of the players available to him at Juve.

“We’ll see the situation because we have one more training session,” the former Napoli and Chelsea Coach said before tomorrow’s Serie A match against Verona.

“We’ll decide accordingly. In Italy we’re obsessed with rotation. I played over 60 games in England last season and there are teams that do it all with 14 players.

“Perhaps we use up more mental energy here than physical. When something isn’t working, I like to understand why and improve it.

“With regards to high balls, it was a lapse in concentration and aggression that we can resolve.

“Right now, the team must find strong organisation and we can do so only by having consistency in key positions. We’ll make changes if someone is tired.

“Ronaldo is seeing much more of the ball than in the past. It’s never easy to get shots off against Atletico, but he managed three.

“He always expects a lot of himself and when he has a good game, he doesn’t seem to have done anything exceptional.

“However, he did something exceptional in the 94th minute, which didn’t come off due to a bit of luck. He can grow like the rest of the team.”

Paulo Dybala has yet to make any starts for the Bianconeri this season but did come on against Atleti, while Bernardeschi is covering for Douglas Costa on the wing.

“If I didn’t think he was ready, I wouldn’t brought him on at a decisive moment. Maybe he’s not yet at the top of his game, but he’s able to give us a hand.

“In the future, I see Bernardeschi becoming a specialist midfielder and not a winger.

“However, right now I need him in attack. We’ll help him do his best: he’s a player with great quality.”

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