Maurizio Sarri Will Miss Juventus's First Two Serie A Games With Pneumonia

The former Chelsea manager was diagnosed at the start of the week.

Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri is set to miss the club's first two games of the Serie A season after being diagnosed with pneumonia at the start of the week, the club have confirmed.

The former Chelsea boss missed Juve's friendly game against Triestina over the weekend with what was understood to be flu, before undergoing tests on Monday that confirmed he had pneumonia. 

Maurizio Sarri will not be on the bench for Parma and Napoli.

The decision will allow him an optimal recovery: https://t.co/I4VlGjurpj pic.twitter.com/7Ia1R30x4v

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) August 22, 2019

And now, the club have revealed that, while his recovery is going well, the 60-year-old will be absent from the dugout for I Bianconeri's first two games of the Serie A season against Parma and former side Napoli, a decision that should ensure him an 'optimal recovery'.

An official statement read: "Maurizio Sarri underwent further medical tests today, which showed a good clinical improvement.

"To completely recover from the pneumonia that hit him over the course of the past few days, the coach will not sit on the bench for the first two Serie A matches against Parma and Napoli.

"The decision was taken to allow the technician, who even today went to the JTC to coordinate work with his staff, to resume regular activity as soon as possible."

The Old Lady are aiming to win a record-breaking ninth successive Scudetto, having parted ways with boss Massimiliano Allegri at the end of last season.

Their defense will begin at Stadio Ennio Tardini on Saturday afternoon, before they host Sarri's former side, who are now under Carlo Ancelotti's control, the following Saturday evening in Turin. 

Sarri is yet to win a league title in his career, though he did pick up the first major trophy of his footballing life when he beat Arsenal 4-1 in May's Europa League final in Baku, Azerbaijan.