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Ex-Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri was taken to hospital after falling ill during a pre-season training session with Lazio.
The 66-year-old is said to be on the mend and has already returned to the club’s training base.
Sarri, who remains a familiar figure to Chelsea supporters after guiding the Blues to Europa League glory in 2019, suffered what has been described as a “sudden illness” on Wednesday morning while overseeing drills in the Rome heat.
After undergoing medical checks, Lazio quickly moved to reassure fans by confirming that Sarri had been cleared to resume duties.
“Coach Sarri is returning to Formello and, as scheduled, will lead the training session at 6pm as usual,” a club statement read. “This morning, he underwent a thorough fitness check, more comprehensive than the tests conducted on the players at the training centre.”
Local outlets have suggested that Rome’s sweltering temperatures, reportedly reaching 35 degrees, may have contributed to the scare, though no official cause has been confirmed.
Sarri returned to Lazio just last month following the departure of Marco Baroni. It marked the beginning of a second stint in charge after originally managing the club between 2021 and early 2024, before stepping down and taking a brief sabbatical from the game.
The Italian is no stranger to the pressures of top-flight management, having coached across Serie A and earned recognition during his spell at Napoli, before moving to Chelsea in 2018.
Despite a turbulent relationship with sections of the fanbase and the media, Sarri ended his sole campaign in west London with a major European trophy and a third-place finish in the Premier League.
He went on to win a Serie A title with Juventus before switching allegiances to Lazio, and now finds himself back in the dugout.
Sarri’s coaching career began in Italy’s lower leagues while working as a banker in Tuscany, a far cry from the elite touchlines of European football.
For Chelsea fans, Sarri was a unique character who brought silverware to Stamford Bridge and left with his own imprint on the club's modern history.
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