Having played under the likes of Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola, Manuel Pellegrini and Didier Deschamps, Bacary Sagna knows a thing or two about good managers.
And the former Arsenal and Manchester City full back says he knew after one training session with Roberto De Zerbi at Benevento that the current Brighton head coach was special.
Speaking exclusively to Genting Casino, Sagna explains how he found working with De Zerbi after moving to the Serie A minnows as a free agent in February 2018.
“After one training session, I could tell he was going to be a great coach,” said Sagna. “It was a feeling I had based on how much he loved football but also by how much he wanted his players to take responsibility on the ball and to play.”
“He wanted the players to enjoy what they’re doing. His passion and attention to detail in every single training session was magnificent.”
“I had a feeling after working with him that he reminded me of Pep Guardiola. In Italy, when I said this to some of my teammates, they made fun of me.”
“They didn’t believe me and thought I was complimenting him to get into the team! I didn’t compliment him for those reasons, I complimented him because I had total belief in his abilities as a coach. It looks like I was spot on with my opinion. Some people understood what I meant, some didn’t.”
Benevento were relegated from Serie A at the end of the 2017-18 season, thanks in part to a nightmare start in which they lost their first 14 matches in succession.
The run ended with a surprise 2-2 home draw against AC Milan thanks to a 95th minute equalising header from Benevento goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli. One can only imagine what DeZerbiCam looked like when that went in.
From that point on, there was a notable upturn in form. Benevento won six of their final 20 matches, including at the San Siro against Milan and home victories over Genoa and Sampodoria.
Sassuolo were suitably impressed by what De Zerbi had done working with the weakest squad and the smallest budget in Serie A and appointed him as their new manager in the summer of 2018.
The rest, as they say, is history. De Zerbi led the wonderfully nicknamed Watermelon Peel to consecutive eighth place finishes above far bigger clubs with much larger budgets, moved to Shakhtar Donetsk and then wound up at Brighton due to Russia’s illegal invasion and war on Ukraine.
Sagna is not surprised that De Zerbi has been such a success in England, saying: “I said as soon as he came into the Premier League that he would be fantastic.”
“When you watch Brighton play, it is magnificent. I think they play the third best football in the Premier League behind Manchester City and Arsenal.”
“I haven’t seen any other team (apart from Manchester City and Arsenal) playing as well as Brighton. They play with a wonderful spirit and all of the players fight for each other.”
“You can tell that all of the players are enjoying this type of football, and they deserve a lot of credit for the way that they play.”
It still seems utterly mad to most Albion fans that Brighton are talked about as top four contenders; let alone that players as good as Sagna are genuinely asked if they think the Seagulls can soar into the Champions League.
The Frenchman believes Brighton will fall just short of the top four; a ridiculously optimistic prediction given most Albion fans appear to be expecting a mid table finish due to the extra burden of the Europa League.
“I think Brighton still have the capacity to surprise people in the Premier League, but I think they will be a little bit short to challenge for the top four.”
“They play amazing football, but they are competing against teams with bigger squads and bigger budgets. There are other teams in the Premier League that are in front of them.”
“I also think that Brighton will find it difficult to juggle playing in the Europa League and in the Premier League.”
“They will have to rotate their players so it will be hard for them to find a rhythm and consistency that can carry you to the top of the table.”
“That is why I think they will be a little bit short to challenge for the top four this season.”
