Cristiano Ronaldo is NOT easy to manage because of his ‘personal interests’, says ex-Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri
MAURIZIO SARRI has admitted that managing Cristiano Ronaldo was not easy due to the Portuguese's personal interests.
The Italian coach worked with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner for a single season at Juventus where the pair won the Serie A title.
Yet a humbling Champions League exit to Lyon saw him sacked and swiftly replaced by club legend Andrea Pirlo for the 2020/21 campaign.
Sarri, who has been out of work since leaving Juve, has now revealed Ronaldo made it difficult for him to keep focused on footballing matters.
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The 62-year-old told : "Managing Ronaldo is not simple, from all points of view.
"He’s a multinational company, he has personal interests that must coincide with football.
"His interests go beyond normalcy, beyond the team or club. I’m a coach, not a manager.
"Ronaldo, however, brings the numbers at the end of the year. But in recent years, I hear a lot about players and little about teams."
Ronaldo has been linked with a move away from Juventus, with both Paris Saint-Germain and former club Manchester United interested in a deal.
The Old Lady could save as much as £75million in salary by parting ways with the 36-year-old this summer.
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And Sarri hinted that he'd axe CR7 for the sake of five or six to save the same amount of money.
Quizzed on whether he sees Ronaldo staying at Juve, the former Chelsea boss added: "It depends on the needs of the club.
"If they have to save on the salary then they have to make a choice. In my opinion it is better to give up one player than five or six with the same savings."