Sarri: Juve the best I've seen

By Football Italia staff

Maurizio Sarri admits he ‘understands’ Emre Can’s frustration and Juventus are ‘still searching for our identity’ but has ‘never seen a team work so well.’

Sarri left Emre Can out of Juve’s Champions League squad, prompting the midfielder to express he was ‘angry and upset’ with the club.

“It wasn’t easy to sit out,” the Coach said at a Press conference for tomorrow’s Serie A trip to Fiorentina.

“I thank the doctors who treated me. They made me understand that I had to take a small step back. But I remained calm because my technical staff were doing great.

“It wasn’t easy or gratifying to name my Champions League squad, but it was necessary.

“I’m disappointed because two very important players won’t be involved. These difficulties, however, show the great strength of our squad.

“It’s normal that when a player suffers because of a strong and radical decision, there’s an emotional aspect to be taken into account.

“We must give him the opportunity to get everything off his chest. I’m at the right age to understand his reaction.

“Right now, I’m only thinking about the League. Our attentions must be focused on tomorrow.

“We’re in a phase whereby rotations are difficult because we’re still searching for our identity and structure.

“We have many players who have played little in recent months, like Khedira, Ramsey and Rabiot.

“But I have to say one thing: never in my career have I seen a team work so well during the international break.

“I also think Bentancur can become a very important player. Now my objective is to fully recover Rugani and ensure De Ligt adapts to Italian football as quickly as possible. He’ll express important things in just a few months.

“Higuain’s played for what he showed me in training and he’s proved it in our matches.”

The 60-year-old was accused of not utilising his squad enough at Napoli and Chelsea, but he indicated a willingness to buck that trend in Turin.

“’I’ve have always said that Juventus are the best team in a corporate sense. In the last couple of months, I’ve realised that Juve’s strength lies in their organisation, head, mentality and looking ahead to the next game.

“We need to change the way we manage certain moments in matches, keeping more of the ball and not waiting for opponents on the edge of our box.

“At Napoli there was a difference between the 14/15 that played the most and the others. At Chelsea I adopted strong rotation, which involved 18 players.

“Juve aren’t yet completely ready, but the objective is to have 10 players who I can interchange.”

Sarri missed the Old Lady’s first two League games with pneumonia, so what did he make of his side’s seven-goal thriller against Napoli before the international break?

“I watched Juventus-Napoli locked in a room. On a human level I felt sorry for Koulibaly, but I thought we deserved to win, even though the own goal was unlucky.”

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