Sarri has run out of time – Napoli chief De Laurentiis

Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis hit out at coach Maurizio Sarri for failing to clarify his future, saying: “Time has run out.”

Sarri’s side beat Crotone 2-1 in their final Serie A game of a season in which they finished second after having topped the table earlier in the campaign.

De Laurentiis expressed his frustration with Sarri, who has been linked with Chelsea, where Antonio Conte is thought to be ready to leave.

When asked whether Sarri would remain at the club, De Laurentiis told Kiss Kiss Radio: “Ask him. He has always sent me back to his agent [Alessandro] Pellegrini, who never gave me an answer.

“Time has run out, there is no date. We have dealt with this problem anyway, we have to go on without fear and without ‘if’.”

“I have to take responsibility,” he added. “I’m not saying he’ll leave. There is a release clause, we’ll see what will happen.”

Sarri’s post-match comments had an air of finality about them, but he stopped short of giving a clear indication about where he will be next season.

“In life, everything comes to an end,” he told reporters. “Sometimes it’s better to finish stories while they are good.

#Sarri: “We’ve had an outstanding season. The supporters were fantastic today, as they have been all season.”

#NapoliCrotone 2-1
#SerieA
#ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/t8lo5MdRIh

— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) May 20, 2018

“When I arrived, the team had finished 24 points off the top. Now, we are four points behind.

“We have not reached the target, but the journey has been fantastic. Tomorrow I will talk to my family before anyone else.”

“The [club] president needs a response quickly,” he added, before hinting that Chelsea could be among his preferred destinations by saying: “I don’t think I could go to another Italian team immediately.

“The memory of Napoli would be too strong.”