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Maurizio Sarri Labels His Juventus Move a Step Up from Chelsea FC

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Chelsea FC fans may not want to hear this, but Maurizio Sarri is completely correct when he labeled his move from Stamford Bridge to Juventus a step up. Juve does indeed have a superior tradition and history of winning. (I mean, after all, the Chelsea SB Nation community is named “We Ain’t Got No History,” albeit in a sardonic manner)

Today was the Sarri product rollout at Juventus, and during the media session the Italian called his new gig the “crowning achievement of a long and difficult career.”

“I’ve taken a long road to get here, from Serie C2 to B, A, Premier League and now Juventus. It’s special to be here. It’s the best squad in Italy,” Maurizio Sarri said.

“I’m coming from Chelsea, which has an inferior history to that of Juventus. It’s another step forward for me.”

While Sarri is right, he could have definitely taken the higher road, been classier and refrained from taking what some might deem digs at his former employer.

Then again, his one campaign at Chelsea was filled with turmoil and a lot of Blues supporters were extremely critical and harsh on him, despite all that he accomplished this past season.

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Sarri, who signed a three-year deal with the Old Lady, now gets the opportunity to manage global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, and a club that has won the Serie A title the past eight seasons.

“Coaching Ronaldo is also an escalation,” Sarri continued.

“I coached great players at Chelsea but with him it’s the best in the world. He already holds all of the records you can have in world football but I would like help him break some more records.”

He’s also well aware that his appointed to the global superpower has been met with mixed reviews. It wasn’t until last month’s Europa League final that Maurizio Sarri finally won a major trophy in his coaching career.

“I am used to skepticism,” he said today in Turin.

“When I arrived in Serie C, everybody was skeptical, and it was the same to begin with at Empoli, at Napoli and when I got to Chelsea, they were all skeptical.

“Now here at Juventus, I think there could be a bit less skepticism, but that comes from my history. I only know one way of taking skepticism away and that is by winning and convincing.”

Midfielder Jorginho, who moved with Sarri from Napoli to Chelsea last summer, said earlier this month that if Sarri were to take this job, it would be viewed as a betrayal to Neapolitans.

https://twitter.com/FutbolBible/status/1141701044042371072

Now they are rumors that Jorginho will actually follow Sarri again to his new club. It’s a long transfer window, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see who Sarri’s first Juve signing is.

Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No,  I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation. 

Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.