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It’s not as if Chelsea have never had a manager who smokes before. Carlo Ancelotti enjoys firing one up. Other current and former Premier League managers, like Jurgen Klopp, Sam Allardyce and Arsene Wenger (when he was younger) also indulged.
But Maurizio Sarri takes it to another level. He’s a chain smoker who may go through up to five packs a day.
Chelsea's new manager Maurizio Sarri walking with security guards while smoking a cigarette.
— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) August 11, 2018
Cool as you like. pic.twitter.com/YoRy0ujXyS
And that’s led to a weird fascination with how he’d cope with the smoking ban in enclosed public places in England. He can’t smoke on the sideline or dugout anywhere in his new league, unlike in Italy.
His solution? Let’s call it creative. On Saturday he was seen gripping just the filter of a ciggie between his teeth.
Maurizio Sarri chewing a cigarette on the bench because you can't smoke in English football grounds. pic.twitter.com/o4chAGbihK
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) August 11, 2018
And where did that filter come from? An eagle-eyed fan spotted his stash in the dugout.
Sarri Mauriciio Sarri’s cigarettes spotted in the Chelsea dugout away to Huddersfield #BPL #Chelsea #Sarri #Huddersfield #HUDCHE #PremierLeague #Cigerettes pic.twitter.com/GGiQQs922o
— Mohammed Musa Patel (@Mohammedmp7) August 11, 2018
Hey, whatever works, right? Good for him for finding a creative solution. (Ed. note: but maybe someone should just tell him about chewing tobacco.)