I don’t fight with everyone… just Gonzalo Higuain! Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri says striker is the only player he clashes with as Argentine ‘needs pampering one day and beating against a wall the next’
- Maurizio Sarri has managed striker Gonzalo Higuain at his last three clubs
- The Juventus manager says Higuain needs to be dealt with in a unique manner
- He believes the Argentine is the only one of his players that he fights with
Maurizio Sarri has revealed that the only player he ‘fights’ with is Gonzalo Higuain, claiming the striker needs ‘pampering one day and beating against a wall the next’.
The Juventus manager has been in charge of Higuain at three different clubs, beginning at Napoli – before taking him to Chelsea on loan and working with him again in Turin.
The Argentine striker had his best goalscoring season under Sarri, hitting 36 goals in 35 Serie A matches in the 2015-16 campaign.
Maurizio Sarri has revealed that the only player he ‘fights’ with is striker Gonzalo Higuain
Sarri, who has managed Higuain at three clubs, said he needs pampering and beating
Now Sarri has made it clear that he has a unique dynamic with the 32-year-old.
‘I always read that I fight with everyone, when actually the only person I fight with is Higuain,’ Sarri said.
‘I don’t know why that is, but it’s always been the case. Maybe it’s because he needs a rather aggressive counterpoint to bring out the best in him.
‘Mentally he’s fine but physically I don’t know how much he can take because he’s been on and off lately.
Higuain celebrates after scoring for Juventus in their match against Lecce in Serie A
‘He needs pampering one day and beating against a wall the next! When he’s feeling down, he needs caring for.
‘When he’s on a high, he must be brought down a peg because he can get too carried away.’
Juventus, Sarri and Higuain will be hopeful of winning Serie A this season – they are seven points clear at the top with eight games left.