MADE IN CHELSEA

Barkley’s ready to thrive under Sarri and reveals: I hadn’t really been coached until he came along

ROSS BARKLEY believes he is ready to show his true talent after revealing he hadn’t been coached much before working with Maurizio Sarri.

Barkley is fit and playing again after a serious hamstring injury wrecked his hopes of hitting the ground running when he joined

Chelsea in January from his boyhood club Everton.

The midfielder is just one of a number of Chelsea stars thriving under the Italian and believes he might be an even better player had he worked with a Sarri-style coach earlier in his career.

Barkley, 24, played under David Moyes, Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman at Everton as well as Antonio Conte (above) at Chelsea last season.

The England midfielder said: “Sarri’s philosophy has helped me a lot because over the years I haven’t been coached much and I am at an age now where I understand football a lot more and I know how important it is to take on board the different tactics from different managers.

“I feel like right now I am ready to understand every aspect of the game.

“From a technical point of view he is making me a better player because we are doing a lot of tactical work and his philosophy is suitable for my style.

“I feel like as the season goes on I will continue to improve. I will show a lot more of what I’m capable and I will start to score and assist a lot more.

“If I’d have had this type of approach from a coach when I was younger then maybe I would have improved a lot more.

“But these things happen in football. Where I am right now is where I believe I should be, so I’m in the right place to show what I’m capable of.”

Gareth Southgate names his next England squad today and Sarri believes Barkley is worthy of a recall, 18 months since his last call up and almost twoand-a-half years since his last cap against Australia in May 2016.

Having made nine appearances already this season compared to just four last term, Barkley admits he’ll be very disappointed to miss out to players who are playing less than him.

He said: “I think it’s natural to think that way but I’ve just got to do what I can for Chelsea and hopefully the national team will take care of itself.”

Tonight’s Europa League clash against Hungarian side MOL Vidi gives Barkley another chance to impress.

He said: “This competition is massive for me. We’re in it to win it. We’re confident.

We’re taking every game as it comes but our main focus is lifting the trophy.”