“Can I smoke there?”…64-year-old director responds to ‘Saudi love affair’ question

“Can I smoke there?”

That’s how Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri responded when asked what he would do if he was offered the head coaching job in Saudi Arabia, the U.K.’s Daily Mail reported on Nov. 24.

The Saudis have been luring soccer stars with their deep pockets since signing Cristiano Ronaldo last December, including Karim Benzema, Neymar, and N’Golo Kante. Not only players, but also managers are being courted.

That’s where the question of Sarri comes in. Sarri is a former Napoli, Chelsea, and Juventus coach. He led Empoli to promotion to the top flight in the 2013-2014 season and was approached by Napoli in 2015. He is currently at the helm of Lazio.

The 64-year-old reportedly smokes an average of 60 cigarettes a day. As a “smoker,” he says that more important to him than money is “the environment where I can smoke. Napoli created a smoking area inside the stadium to accommodate his addiction, and RB Leipzig, his Europa League opponents, went so far as to create a designated smoking area in the away dressing room. 무지개토토 주소

Saudi Arabia is the home of Islamic fundamentalism. The country emphasizes a strict, pious life based on the Koran, with alcohol, tobacco, and even gaming taboo. “Can you smoke there?” asked Sari.