Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted he and Jurgen Klopp embraced like two old friends following a 1-1 draw between his side and Liverpool last month.
The Blues had looked to be ending Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the Premier League, leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from Eden Hazard.
But Liverpool equalised late on through Daniel Sturridge’s long-range effort which beat Kepa Arrizabalaga and maintained the Reds’ unbeaten start, albeit ending a perfect one.
And despite this, Sarri has revealed he and Klopp developed a mutual appreciation during the heavyweight clash at Stamford Bridge.
“There are moments when the grand spectacle of it all convinces you to put aside any regrets,” he told Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia).
“Even if you concede at the last minute or five minutes into stoppages.
“That was an extraordinary show. Just 10 minutes earlier, I saw Klopp looking at me with the game going on. I asked: ‘Why are you smiling?’ He replied: ‘Aren’t you having fun?’
“I said: ‘So much’ and he added ‘Me too.’ He was losing at the time. Even after the equaliser, remembering that moment, we hugged like two old friends.
“I’m sure he would’ve done the same even if Liverpool hadn’t equalised. The Premier League has this joy of football.”
After taking over as Chelsea manager in the summer of 2018, Sarri has performed above expectations of some, with the Blues currently joint-top of the Premier League table with Manchester City and Liverpool.
Excluding the Community Shield before the start of the season, Chelsea are unbeaten under Sarri across all competitions, winning nine and drawing two.
Sarri’s favourites
The newfound bromance with Jurgen Klopp sees the German join Gonzalo Higuain and Jorginho on a list of people the Chelsea manager loves.
Sarri worked with Higuain for one year at Napoli, before joining Juventus, scoring 38 goals in 42 games across all competitions.
And the Italian admitted he does miss Higuain, but refused to be drawn on the prospect of a reunion at Chelsea.
“I miss Higuain a great deal,” Sarri said.
“I miss him because he’ll keep scoring goals until the day he dies. He is a goal machine, a systematic and automatic jackpot.
“Whatever response I give will be considered wrong and put words into my mouth. All I can say is that I feel Gonzalo left Napoli too soon. If he had stayed for another season, I think… we could’ve been in a condition to win.
“Higuain was a part of the fantastic mechanism we created, we understood each other so well. It was perfect synchronicity and the regrets will probably stick with us.”
One every 30 seconds.
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One former Napoli player Sarri did manage to bring with him to Chelsea was midfielder Jorginho, who has already proved to be a key player for the Blues.
“He knows what I am asking for and understands me straight away,” Sarri said of Jorginho.
“I arrived at Napoli with him in the balance, but now he’s a treasure and playing for the Italy squad.
“It’s all about balance. Jorginho helps and guides the others, keeping them all involved.”
The post Sarri reveals the moment a bromance with Jurgen Klopp was born appeared first on Squawka News.
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