Maurizio Sarri is sent TUMBLING to the floor and his glasses go flying after Udinese’s Ignacio Pussetto collides with the Lazio boss on the touchline during tense Coppa Italia clash
- Maurizio Sarri was on the receiving end of a heavy collision in Italy on Tuesday
- Lazio boss had no time to move out of the way as an Udinese star approached
- The Italian, 63, took a heavy shoulder to the chin, causing him to fall to the turf
- Sarri later joked that the incident was a good test of his current condition
Maurizio Sarri may be feeling a sore head today after the Lazio boss was wiped out by an Udinese player during his side’s Coppa Italia last-16 victory on Tuesday night.
With the game level at 0-0 in additional time, Sarri, 63, was engrossed in the action unfolding before him on the touchline.
As a result, he had no time to step out of the way as Udinese star Ignacio Pussetto – on loan from Watford – came hurtling towards him.
Maurizio Sarri, 63, suffered a heavy blow after colliding with an Udinese player on Tuesday
Ignacio Pussetto was sent hurtling towards the Lazio manager during the Coppa Italia game
Pussetto was in the midst of a battle for possession of the ball with Lazio’s Manuel Lazzari, but the latter won the contest and inadvertently sent the 26-year-old in his manager’s direction.
The former Chelsea boss was helpless as he took a big shoulder to the chin, causing him to fall tumbling to the turf while his glasses flew into the air.
Pussetto was also sent sprawling to the floor in what appeared a heavy collision.
Sarri lost his glasses but joked that he was the first one to get up after the strong collision
Ciro Immobile struck the winning goal as Sarri’s side advanced to the quarter finals on Tuesday
Fortunately, Sarri suffered no lasting damage and he even saw the funny side of the incident, embracing the Udinese star before recovering his glasses and holding them aloft with a smile on his face.
Ciro Immobile helped soften his manager’s blow by providing the winner in the 106th minute of the game to allow Lazio safe passage to the quarter finals of the competition.
After the match, Sarri joked to the media: ‘It was a good test of my current condition! I’d like to point out that I was the one who got back up first.’
Sarri returned to management last summer, taking on the Lazio job following his Juventus sacking in 2020, and his side are currently sat in eighth position in Serie A behind Jose Mourinho’s Roma.