Guendouzi: "I Was Surprised And Disappointed By Sarri's Exit Because He Achieved Remarkable Results At Lazio. However, I Respect His Decision To Step Back For The Team's Sake."

Matteo Guendouzi returned to the French national team after his move to Lazio in the summer caught the coach's attention due to his impressive performances for the Biancoceleste. Guendouzi credits much of his improvement to the coaching of Maurizio Sarri, as he explained in an interview with Le Parisien. Reflecting on Sarri's departure, Guendouzi expressed surprise and disappointment, highlighting Sarri's successful tenure at Lazio before stepping down for the team's benefit.

Guendouzi commented, "I changed clubs in the summer and had to adjust to a new environment and league. However, being called up to the national team validates the consistency of my performances at Lazio. Coach Deschamps has been following my progress, praising my contributions at Lazio. Working under Maurizio Sarri, a highly demanding coach like Emery, Arteta, Sampaoli, or Tudor, has been instrumental in my tactical development during my seven months at Lazio. Previously, I was less disciplined and tended to roam freely on the field. Now, I have improved my positional awareness and learned to manage my energy better."

Regarding Sarri's departure and Tudor's appointment, Guendouzi remarked, "I was surprised and disappointed by Sarri's exit because he achieved remarkable results at Lazio, including a second-place finish in a top-tier league, reaching the Champions League round of 16, and reaching the Italian Cup semi-finals. However, I respect his decision to step back for the team's sake. Tudor also did well at Marseille, although the last season was challenging, resulting in a third-place finish despite aiming for second. Tudor's tactical approach could pose a threat to other Serie A teams, considering his successful stints at Verona."