New Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri admits he regrets rejecting Chelsea managing director Marina Granovskaia's wish that he see out the final year of his contract.

During the turbulent 2019 summer, Chelsea director Granovskaia had pushed for Sarri to honour his contract in west London, and the 62-year-old admits it was a grave error not to heed her advice and ignore an offer from Juventus.

"At Chelsea I made a sensational mistake, that of wanting to return to Italy at all costs," Sarri told AlfredoPedulla.com.

"Marina stonewalled me to leave Chelsea, I had this desire to return to Italy. Chelsea are a great club, in the following years they have taken many young people suitable for me.

"I experienced a particular year, in which (Roman) Abramovich could not enter England and we had an owner who was not present in the area."

Sarri also explained that there are a number of youngsters playing for Chelsea these days whom he would have relished coaching.

He added: "A rather difficult situation, all in the hands of Marina and she had a thousand problems to solve, the football aspect was in the hands of us of the staff, not having the economic power available."

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"Then came (Timo) Werner, (Kai) Havertz, (Mason) Mount, (Hakim) Ziyech: all suited to me and my way of playing."