It's conjecture obviously, at this point, but I wonder if Beppe said that about Benitez knowing Vidal well enough to make an offer, so as to open up a point of negotiation perhaps, for someone like Isco if Allegri truly wants him. That said, some outlets or people would just report this news because Vidal has been playing that AM position as a makeshift for Allegri, but with Pirlo no longer playing a leading role in the squad, Vidal will be back in his preferred position. In the eventuality of a Vidal sale or swap, I don't see how anybody can entertain the idea of Khedira being a replacement of a similar calibre. There are very few players who can replace Vidals quality, Kondogbia could be one to soften the blow, but I still don't expect even him to put in the hard yards. I don't get how people can entertain the thought of Vidal being swapped or sold.
I don't think that would rule out the possibilities in terms of opportune purchases.
Lamela isn't good enough for this Juve.
It's a good fit. He's an astute coach, though I would've preferred him to go to Meelan.
UEFA Europa League contenders SSC Napoli have appointed Maurizio Sarri as their new coach on a one-year contract.
Sarri, 56, succeeds Rafael Benítez, who left at the end of the season and was subsequently named as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement at Real Madrid CF. To honour Sarri taking charge at the Stadio San Paolo, UEFA.com flags up five things you should know about the Naples-born tactician who raised eyebrows this term at Empoli FC.
Naples born but not bred
Sarri was born in Naples at a time when his father was working in a factory close to the southern city. The family moved back to Tuscany when he was three but he always remained a Napoli fan. "It was natural to support the team from the town where I was born," he once said. "When I was a boy I was the only one in Figline Valdarno to support Napoli. The other children all supported big clubs like Juventus, Inter, Milan or neighbouring Fiorentina."
For free?
After a short career as an amateur footballer, Sarri started coaching in the lower divisions in Tuscany while studying economics and working in a bank. In 2000/01 he accepted a job at AC Sansovino in Serie Eccellenza, the sixth tier, telling the club he would quit coaching for good if he did not win the league. Did they? Yes. "I finally decided I needed to focus exclusively on coaching if I wanted to achieve results," he said. When a journalist asked him if he was angry about being the lowest-paid coach in Serie A this season, he replied: "Angry? Let's not joke. They pay me for something I would have done for free after work. I'm lucky."
Mister 33 – 'I can study tactics for 13 hours every day'
Workaholic Sarri was dubbed 'Mister 33' after reportedly preparing 33 set plays for use at dead-ball situations while at Sansovino. "We used four or five of them in the end," he later explained. According to Sarri, only meticulous preparation and profound knowledge can defeat opponents, who are studied intensely to identify potential weaknesses. Fond of the 4-2-3-1 system, Sarri began to use a 4-3-1-2 template at Empoli. Whatever the formation, though, the focus is always on perfect organisation of the defensive line.
In 2006/07, Sarri replaced the sacked Antonio Conte at the helm of home-town side AC Arezzo. Arezzo were struggling in Serie B and eventually went down – yet not without achieving some famous results. Sarri oversaw a 2-2 away draw against a Juventus XI featuring, among others, Gianluigi Buffon, David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as a 1-0 home victory over AC Milan, 2-0 first-leg winners, in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.
Surprising Empoli
Having guided Empoli to promotion the previous season, Sarri made his Serie A debut in 2014/15. He led the Azzurri to a 15th-place finish by playing organised and entertaining football. "At Empoli they know that youngsters grow as a result of their mistakes," he said. Among Empoli's eight league wins were a 2-1 home triumph over SS Lazio and a 4-2 scalp of his new employers Napoli.