Maurizio Sarri has been accused of trying to “dismantle” Napoli by taking a number of players to Chelsea. Aurelio De Laurentiis, the Napoli president, also accused his former coach of pushing players too hard in training. Napoli never finished below third place in three seasons under Sarri, who will take charge of Chelsea for the first time today in a friendly against Perth Glory.

Sarri signed Jorginho, the midfielder, and also wanted Elseid Hysaj, the right back, to move the west London club. “He wanted to take my whole team to England and dismantle it,” De Laurentiis said. “I had to lay down the law to Marina [Granovskaia, director at Chelsea]. He wanted Jorginho and I gave him away after talking with [Carlo] Ancelotti, who