Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has delivered his verdict on the Leeds spygate scandal, saying that it used to happen in Italy.
Sarri was talking in his pre-match press conference and was asked about the topic that has had the whole football world talking this week.
Asked if he had done it Sarri joked that his spies weren’t good enough.
Sarri was quoted by national journalist Paul Brown.
Sarri on whether he’s ever known anything like Bielsa/spygate: “In Italy, yes. Not a lot. But it happens. Did I do it? No, because I don’t have very good spies, I think! I prefer to study my opponents by video.” #cfc
— Paul Brown (@pbsportswriter) January 18, 2019
OPINION
Everyone has weighed in on the biggest debate in football this week. Marcelo Bielsa has certainly got people talking, although it’s slightly disappointing that it’s not about the brilliant football that he’s got Leeds playing this season. Irrespective, it’s put Leeds on the map and there will certainly be a lot more neutrals watching their games for the rest of the season to see if he can get them up into the Premier League. Sarri said what a lot of other managers have said, that this sort of stuff goes on and joked it off as no big deal. However, he didn’t go as far as saying he used to do it himself. No other manager has been brave enough to do that yet, although we imagine there will be plenty who will be sitting a bit uncomfortably at the moment and waiting to be outed. Given all of this, we can’t see the EFL giving Leeds anything more than a slap on the wrist after their investigation.