Maurizio Sarri appeared to storm out of training on the eve of Chelsea’s Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku.
The Blues manager threw his club baseball cap to the turf, kicked it, picked it up and threw it down again, before walking down the Baku Olympic Stadium tunnel.
The incident came just hours after Sarri had revealed the growing love for his players amid rumours surrounding his long-term future.
A Chelsea spokesman said: “Maurizio’s frustration displayed at the end of training was not related to any of his players, but was due to not being able to practise set-plays in the final 15 minutes of the hour-long training session as it remained open to media.”
Sarri has already led Chelsea to next term’s Champions League courtesy of a third-place Premier League finish, but doubts remain over his Stamford Bridge tenure after an often fractious first campaign in London.
“The beginning of the season was really very difficult for me to understand my players, the mentality,” said Sarri.
“But after a very difficult month in January, in February they started to change, I think, probably I changed, I don’t know.
“In this moment I love them, because I have 20, 22 wonderful men and wonderful players. So now I am really very happy with them.
“And of course I have to consider it for the future. And I have to consider that I love English football, I love the Premier League.”
Asked if he could end up at Juventus next season, Sarri added: “I want to think only to the final of course, then I have a contract with Chelsea for two years.
“So first of all I will speak with Chelsea, but this is not the moment. Now we have only to think to the final.”
Derby boss Frank Lampard has been linked with a Chelsea move should Sarri leave, and despite swatting away speculation the current Blues manager conceded that Wednesday night’s outcome could very well map out his future.
Asked if the Europa League final represents the biggest moment of his life, Sarri replied: “I don’t know. I don’t know. Because the feeling from the coach between a coach and a journalist is different.
“Of course this match for the media is the most important of my life, but probably not for me. I will only be able to answer tomorrow.”
Chelsea head into Wednesday’s match still sweating over midfielder N’Golo Kante’s fitness.
Boss Sarri insisted he will hand Kante as much time as possible to prove his fitness, but only rated the France star as “50-50” on Tuesday evening.
