Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri captures first career trophy

After a lengthy career which has seen him rise from the 8th division of Italian football all the way to managing English giants Chelsea, Maurizio Sarri has won his first ever trophy – the Europa League.

It’s been a topsy turvy season for Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, there is no denying that. While we can now look back on it as a success, winning the Europa League and capturing 3rd in the Premier League, it was never looking to be this promising until the final stages of the season. Prior to that, Sarri was constantly under scrutiny, and even looked set to be sacked at one point.

However, the Italian has done an admirable job in his first gig outside of his native country, and has captured his first ever trophy as a result, sweeping aside Arsenal with relative ease in the final.

On the opposite technical area to Maurizio Sarri in the Europa League final was Unai Emery, a former professional footballer who got his start in management handed to him immediately following retirement. Maurizio Sarri’s way into management was far more difficult, far more challenging.

Sarri was never a professional footballer, he simply had ambitions of it, but it never materialized. As a result, he worked as a foreign currency trader at a local bank into his 30’s, while playing and later managing amateur football.

He then worked his way up the divisions over the span of 25 years, which eventually led to him impressing with Empoli, and then Napoli.

Sarri’s journey to the top is unorthodox and inspiring, especially to those that have ambitions to work in football despite not having professional experience.

While Maurizio Sarri captured his first trophy in Baku on Wednesday, he will be hoping that many more come his way at Chelsea. However, the clubs impending transfer ban, along with the sure departure of Eden Hazard, might make silverware tough to come by in the coming years.