Zola Surprised By Pirlo’s Appointment As Juve Boss
Gianfranco Zola says he is surprised Italian champions Juventus have gone in for Andrea Pirlo as their new manager, but has tipped the World Cup winner to be a success in Turin.
Pirlo was drafted in to replace Maurizio Sarri on Saturday after Juventus were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Olympique Lyon at the round of 16 stage a day earlier.
The 41-year-old’s appointment came barely a week after he had been tasked to manage Juventus’ under-23 side.
Zola, who served as assistant to Sarri during the former Napoli manager’s solitary season in charge of Chelsea during the 2018/2019 campaign, says he was surprised by his old boss’ replacement.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by this,” Zola told Sky Sports Italia of Pirlo’s appointment.
"It's fascinating and if the project works, it'll go down as a huge success story for the club. It's not an easy job, though, as Juventus are asking to win in a certain way.
"This is a courageous move from the club and based on the quality of the man, but Pirlo will need their support going forward. It's not simple, but I do think he can have real success."
Pirlo won four Serie A titles as a player with Juventus and also turned out for the likes of Brescia, Inter Milan and AC Milan, where he won two Serie A trophies and two UEFA Champions League titles.
