Jorginho admits he wanted to ‘embarrass’ Chelsea doubters after they branded him “Sarri’s son”
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has admitted he wanted to ’embarrass’ the Chelsea fans who initially doubted his ability at Stamford Bridge, particularly those who labelled him ‘Maurizio Sarri’s son’.
The 29-year-old moved to Chelsea in 2018 from Napoli following Sarri’s appointment in the Stamford Bridge dugout, rejecting a move to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the process, but it was not a smooth transition to Premier League football.
Today the metronomic midfielder is arguably Chelsea’s most influential player, helping the club clinch a Premier League top-four finish last season, reach the FA Cup final, win the Champions League, and more recently, lift the European Super Cup.
However, things were not always quite so rosy in west London, with Jorginho initially struggling to acclimatise to the hustle and bustle of Premier League football, with the Italian’s initial teething problems translating to the dugout as well, as Sarri came under fire early on.
The 2016/17 Serie A Coach of the Year would last just one year in English football, winning the Europa League in that time, but Jorginho has gone on to establish himself as one of the finest midfielders, not only in the Premier League, but across the continent.
There have been calls from Italy coach Roberto Mancini for Jorginho to win the Ballon d’Or after lifting this summer’s European Championship, and even an endorsement from Sarri himself, but it was not too long ago the midfielder was pining to ’embarrass’ the fans who initially doubted him at Chelsea.
“My start at Chelsea made me miss [Napoli] even more,” Jorginho wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “We all remember what they were saying, right? I was too slow. I was too weak. I was Sarri’s son. Man, it made me so angry.
“But listen, they underestimated me. You see, I’ve had a turbulent start at every club I’ve been with. Every club. It’s incredible. When I came to Verona, nobody wanted me. They sent me on loan to the fourth division. Nobody wanted me there either.
“But I kept working and I won respect. I went back to Verona and we went up to Serie A. I had a hard year at Napoli, too, and then Sarri came and changed everything.
“So the Chelsea stuff? Puh! I just used the criticism as fuel. I was thinking, These people are going to be embarrassed.
“And now I’m sitting here with a Europa League title and a Champions League title. So to all the critics, I just want to say one thing.
“Thank you. Really, thank you all.”
18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C’s apply.
18+ only. New UK customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim Here
18+ only. Use code BET30. New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply
18+ only. New customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim Here
18+ only. £10 min. deposit required. 1 x £10 qualifying bet required. Qualifying bet must be placed on selection with min. odds of 1.8 (4/5). 4 x £5 Free Bets will be credited once the qualifying bet has been settled. 1 x Free Bet valid for any Football Match Result market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Football Correct Score market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Horse Racing market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Tennis market. Free Bets valid for 7 days once credited. T&Cs apply.
18+ only. New customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim Here
