Sarri calls for change in schedule: Players ‘paid to do something else for 6 months’ | OneFootball

Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri has called for a change to the global footballing calendar, as he feels that he only gets to work with his players for half of the year, and that they are ‘paid to do something else for six months’.

Sarri unhappy with international breaks: ‘Need to review the schedules’

Sarri, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Serie A clash between Sassuolo and Lazio on Sunday, made it clear that he is not best pleased with the number of international breaks in each season.

Factoring in players’ holidays, four international breaks, and the fact that it is both a World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations year, Sarri notes that some players will be unavailable for roughly half of the calendar year.

Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri looks on prior to the Italian Serie A football match between Torino and Lazio, on August 20, 2022 at the stadio Olimpico in Turin. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)

“If you think, at the end of the year, the players will have had four international breaks, which means we won’t have them for 48 days, 35 days of absence for the Africa Cup of Nations, 35 days for the World Cup and four weeks of holiday.

“They are paid to do something else for six months. We need to review the schedules.”

Part of Sarri’s frustrations is the fact that two of his key players have come back from Italy national team duty with a pair of fitness concerns.

ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 23: Mattia Zaccagni of Lazio celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between S.S. Lazio and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Stadio Olimpico on January 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“Rovella and Zaccagni have come back bruised,” Sarri told the press ahead of Sassuolo-Lazio.

“Zaccagni is doing better, but we still don’t know if Rovella is available. We’ll know tomorrow after his tests.

“This is part of the process with national team call-ups. It’s inevitable they get called up, but recovery times are less respected than they are at club level. Zaccagni took a blow during the game, so we’ll see who recovers and who will not. The important aspect will be the mental attitude.”