Andrea Pirlo confirmed as Maurizio Sarri replacement at Juventus
Andrea Pirlo has been appointed as Juventus new manager following the sack of Maurizio Sarri early today.
Sarri, who was shipped out of Chelsea in June 2019 suffered similar fate at Juve where his sacking came only after completing the first season of his signed 3-year period in management.
The former Chelsea boss failed to lead Juve to overturn their first leg 1-0 defeat to Lyon when Cristiano Ronaldo double yesterday night was not enough send Sarri’s side to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Sarri paid for that loss after he was shown the exit door at Turin on Saturday.
In his home land, the former Napoli trainer has been replaced by one of Juve’s trusted former players in Pirlo, who assumes first team managerial role for the first time in his coaching career.
Pirlo also known to be a coveted passer of the ball in his playing days played four seasons in Bianconeri shirt before he was appointed the boss of Juve U-23s 30 July.
After a week later, as has been confirmed replacement for Sarri in Juve big coaching job ahead of next season.
“The decision for Pirlo was very natural, in the Juventus style, because he is someone who played for us, has always been in contact with everyone here and it felt natural,” said Juventus’ chief football officer Fabio Paratici.
“We also believe he is pre-destined for greatness. He was as a player and we are confident he can do the same as a coach.”
Before Pirlo’s appointment, Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino were heavily linked with Juve’s hot seat, that’s when Sarri had been sacked.
However, Zidane is understood committed to his contract at Santiago Bernabéu though Madrid President Florentino Pérez is also not ready to terminate the French International’s stay in Spain.
With Juve owner Andrea Agnelli admiring Pirlo, the 41-year old stood tall in the pegging order in front of the Juve hierarchy and is now their new boss.
Pirlo played 164 games for Juventus between 2011 and 2015 and won four Serie A titles in Turin after joining from AC Milan, with whom he spent most of his career and won two Champions League and two league titles.
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