This archive report was first published on 27 February 2020.
Published on February 27, 2020, Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri is facing a challenge in implementing his preferred playing style, known as 'Sarri-ball', on the team.
After a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League, Sarri expressed his frustration, stating that his team was struggling to grasp the concept of quick passing.
"I am having a lot of difficulty in getting across the idea of moving the ball quickly to this team," Sarri said.
He added that in training, the ball moves at a high speed, but this does not translate to matches, where the team's passing is often lacklustre.
Despite having a strong team with significant spending power, Juventus has traditionally been a pragmatic side, and Sarri's 'Sarri-ball' style has been a departure from this approach.
Under the previous coach, Massimiliano Allegri, the team focused on 'administering the match', whereas Sarri prefers to weave intricate passing patterns at high speed.
However, old habits die hard, and Sarri has often observed that his team drops back to defend on the edge of the penalty area, a style reminiscent of Allegri's approach.
