Maurizio Sarri Quotes

Football's always been cerebral. The most important thing is thinking fast.

As I'm growing up, going into holding midfield, I'm watching Busquets quite a lot for Barcelona. The way he controls the game, his reading of it, technically, defensively - everything about him cuts him out above the rest. I'm really enjoying watching him.

English football is so physical and fast that when you see a space, you have to go into it with all your speed.

For me, David Silva is a fantastic player because his technique is incredible, and he understands when the right time to pass the ball is.

I think that's the type of game I'm better at - faster paced, just moving the ball more around.

I'd say my main quality is keeping the ball and my passing.

I've never been blessed with height, strength and power so I've had to learn how to play differently from a young age, my game was all based on technique and when I look at players like Xavi and Iniesta they were always players I modelled myself on.

When we are operating in tight spaces and when the opposition are closing us down, players like Messi can help us to create openings.

Jorginho is really suitable to the way I like to play. He is a player that has many good sides to him. He wants to work hard, and he's very fast in moving the ball, which is important for us, although there is also Cesc Fabregas, who has the same potential as Jorginho.

Centre-backs with good technique can move the ball forward, even when under pressure.

If Lukaku is not as good as others with his first touch, then give him a ball that he can handle.

People compare me to Verratti, and I do really like him, but we have very different playing styles.

I like to control the ball and analyse the game.

I think that football has changed, it has become more complex. For example, it's faster, you have less free space, and you have to play from such small spaces.

For me, playing simply is dribbling. For me, playing one or two touches is harder. Playing simply is the most difficult thing.

It is impossible to do it for the whole game, but when you have the ball for most of the game and have players like Samir Nasri, David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Raheem Sterling, they keep the ball so well.

Carrying the ball is one of the strongest points in my game and I like to be a danger on the pitch.

I know people say you have to be big and strong to play in the Premier League, but you cannot just judge a player by their size. You have to look at their other qualities, too.

I have to make sure that we're in the right plays and I can get the ball out quickly and get into our playmakers' hands.

But that's something I enjoyed. That's the game, the challenge, trying to think 'what am I am aiming to do here? Where do I want to pass the ball? What area do I want to get it in?' Then it's instinct... but that's just me, that's how I was made, that's my make-up.

I'm the type of player who takes risks, so every now and then I'm going to give the ball away. I just have to learn not to do it in silly areas of the pitch.

My best asset to my game is my IQ. I play the game thinking the game first.

It is up to me to adapt and to continue to surprise with my positioning, the timing of my runs, the trajectories, when I call for the ball.

When I used to play against Bayern, Xabi Alonso always used to give me a really hard time. He was so experienced... he made me suffer. The way he'd keep switching play just meant that you could never stop running. He was very intelligent.

You have to have something in your head to understand the Barcelona play. You have to adapt as quickly as possible.