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Maurizio Sarri Won't Be on Juventus Bench Against Parma, Napoli Due to Pneumonia
August 22, 2019
Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri is recovering well from pneumonia, but he won't be on the bench for the Bianconeri in their first two Serie A matches against Parma and Napoli.
The Italian champions released a statement on Thursday, which said the latest tests show "good clinical improvement."
Sarri has also been coordinating with his staff at Juventus' training centre despite the fact he won't be in charge when the team opens their Serie A campaign on Saturday.
Sarri missed the friendly against Triestina with the flu, and after missing a training session on August 19, further tests in the afternoon confirmed he had pneumonia.
Former club Chelsea wished the tactician all the best:
Sarri spent just one season at Stamford Bridge before returning to Italy to take the Juventus job this summer. He previously coached Napoli, pushing the Bianconeri for the Serie A title before moving to England.
His exit from the Partenopei was not a clean one, and Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiistook shots at the tactician throughout the 2018-19 campaign.
Per Neil McLeman of the Mirror, Laurentiis called him "highly strung" and accused him of being obsessed with money in December months after he had already left the club.
Per sports writer Tancredi Palmeri, the feud won't play out on the pitch in Week 2 of the season:
Sarri is known for playing an intricate system based on ball movement and possession, often referred to as "Sarri-ball." The Bianconeri have been adapting to the system all summer, with mixed results in the International Champions Cup and narrow friendly wins over Triestina and their B-team.
Parma are not expected to pose much of a threat for the defending Serie A champions, but Napoli are among Italy's strongest teams, and not having Sarri on the bench for that match will be a big blow.
Serie A will break for international fixtures after the first two weeks, giving the 60-year-old ample time to continue his recovery. Juventus' next match after the Napoli fixture won't be until September 15 against rivals Fiorentina.