Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MALMO v CHELSEA
MAURIZIO SARRI has admitted holding crisis talks with his players after Sunday’s 6-0 surrender at Manchester City.
The Chelsea boss, whose job is in jeopardy, had a clear-the-air meeting at Chelsea’s Cobham HQ amid speculation that Blues stars have lost faith in him.
The Italian, ahead of tonight’s Europa League tie against Malmo, once again suggested his players are mentally fragile.
Sarri said: “Of course. We talked for one hour the day after the match.
“We started well but after the first goal we were not able to react. It’s always a mind problem, a mental problem, so we need to solve it.”
Asked to elaborate, Sarri said: “Sometimes, as the match against Tottenham showed, we did not have the right approach. The right determination.
“This match, in my opinion, was different. We trained very well during the week. We arrived with the right level of motivation. Then we conceded a goal after five minutes and were not able to do anything.”
Uncertainty continues to surround Sarri’s position as he heads into a crucial run of games that could end his short reign.
Chelsea have lost their last four away games, one in the League Cup and three in the Premier League. They began last weekend in the top four, only to find themselves sixth by Sunday night.
Tonight’s clash at Malmo is followed by Monday’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United. The Carabao Cup final against Manchester City is six days later, followed by a tough Premier League clash at home to Spurs.
Marcos Alonso, heavily criticised for his display against City on Sunday, has been left out of the squad, along with Ruben Loftus-cheek.
Sarri said: “Loftus is out with the same problem, his back. Maybe it’s not really serious this problem, but at the moment he’s out. I wanted Marcos to rest for the match. No physical problem.”
One potential problem that Sarri was keen to head off was his comment about Blues owner Roman Abramovich. The Chelsea boss claimed last Sunday night that he doesn’t speak to the Russian billionaire. After those remarks caused a stir, however, Sarri clarified his position. “I never said never,” he said. “Not never. The interview was in Italian. In Italian, I am better than you. I am sure.”
Asked whether he had spoken to Abramovich, he said: “Yes of course. But not in this week. Not in the last three weeks.”