The Atalanta coach acknowledged the difficulties created by absences and the demands of European football, but insisted that his team must avoid using them as an excuse. Sarri also dismissed criticism of his work, arguing that establishing a new cycle requires patience rather than immediate results.
“The difficulties are always there. We think about the players who are going to play, regardless of the injuries. Some lads have trained more than others,” Sarri said ahead of the trip to Amsterdam.
He pointed out that clubs competing in Europe while supplying numerous players to their national teams face additional demands on their squads. Nevertheless, he believes the responsibility is to trust those available rather than dwell on the absentees.
“It's clear that when you play in Europe and have a lot of players in the national teams, everything becomes more complicated. It's right to give confidence to the lads who are playing without thinking about excuses,” he added.
Atalanta face a difficult test against an Ajax side Sarri regards as technically accomplished, with the Italian coach aware that his team will need to perform at a high level to compete in Amsterdam.
The fixture comes during a period of transition for Atalanta, who are still attempting to establish consistency under their coach. Sarri has previously acknowledged that the team can produce strong spells but has struggled to maintain the same standard throughout matches.
He was equally dismissive when asked about criticism of his work, making clear that he does not pay attention to outside commentary.
“I don't read anything and I don't listen to anything. I'm not interested in hearing that,” Sarri said.
He then pointed to Jürgen Klopp's early experience at Liverpool as an example of why a first season should not necessarily be judged by immediate success.
“Klopp said that you don't see the results in a manager's first year. He finished eighth, and then went on to win everything,” Sarri explained.
Sarri also suggested that questions about the club's wider direction should be directed towards the sporting director rather than the coach alone.
His immediate priority, however, is the challenge posed by Ajax. With injuries limiting his options, he wants his available players to respond on the pitch rather than allow the circumstances to become an excuse for underperformance.