Former Chelsea manager Mauritso Sarri underwent heart surgery in Rome after doctors discovered he had an arrhythmia. However, his current club Lazio are optimistic that the 66-year-old will return to work “within the next few days”. The Italian was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, which causes fast and irregular heartbeats, and underwent a catheter ablation procedure.
This condition causes fatigue, light-headedness, difficulty breathing, and increases the chance of having a stroke. “SS Lazio has confirmed that coach Maurzio Sarri underwent a catheter ablation procedure at the Tor Vergata clinic after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation,” a Lazio statement said. “The surgery performed by Professor Andrea Natale, an international pioneer with over 30 years of experience in this disease, yielded good results.”
The former Napoli manager became famous for his Sarri Ball tactical approach during his single campaign at Stamford Bridge. His concerns were not alleviated in the 2019 Carabao Cup final, when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted before the penalty shoot-out and defeat to Manchester City.
Sarri moved to Juventus in the summer of the same year, but was sacked after just one season. He left Lazio in March 2025 and, after a 15-month break, returned to the Rome-based team on a two-year contract in June.
Despite a summer transfer ban due to financial issues, Lazio sit eighth in Serie A heading into the winter break. Assistant coach Marco Ianni will supervise Sarri’s training until his return, with the next Serie A match being at home against reigning champions Napoli on Sunday, January 4.
Lazio said in a statement: “The coach will resume normal coaching of the team within the next few days.”
“SS Lazio and the coach would like to thank the Tor Vergata General Hospital and the team of Professor Natale for their professionalism and the high quality of care they guarantee to all their patients.”
