Under-fire Sarri calls on the Chelsea faithful to stick by their troubled team for tonight’s crunch derby
MAURIZIO SARRI has urged Chelsea fans to show “more support” to his players.
Under-fire Sarri knows he could be just one game from the sack and the pressure is mounting on the back of the Kepa Arrizabalaga furore from the League Cup final.
But Sarri is anxious that the situation does not become even more toxic at Stamford Bridge, if the supporters turn on the team again.
Chelsea fans chanted abuse in his direction during the Manchester United FA Cup defeat and booed Jorginho during their Europa League win over Malmo last week.
It leaves Sarri fighting to keep his job in an increasingly difficult environment, in what the Chelsea faithful see as one of the biggest games of the season against rivals Tottenham.
Sarri, who has warned he could drop Kepa after the keeper refused to be substituted at Wembley, said: “I was disappointed for my players (against United). In my opinion, we played a very good first half. At the end of the first half, the result was 2-0. But the performance was good.
“Then, in the second half, we played well in the defensive phase because we conceded nothing, but we could have done better in the offensive phase.
“I was disappointed in the atmosphere for my players. Only for my players. But I think I can understand the fans, of course. I can understand, because they are used to winning. Now we have a difficult moment. But I’d like to see more support for my players, not for me.
“This is a very important match. A very difficult match. They (Spurs) are doing really very well away. It’s not easy to play with the same level of application as in the last match because, mentally, we spent a lot in the match on Sunday.”
The Blues attempted to draw a line under the Kepa fall-out by issuing statements from both the player and Sarri, as well as announcing the £180,000-aweek keeper had been fined a week’s wages. But Sarri almost reopened old wounds by suggesting Kepa could be dropped against Spurs in favour of Willy Caballero (below).
The likelihood is that Kepa will play, not least because he cost £70million, he is the future and Sarri knows that Chelsea director and transfer fixer Marina Granovskaia championed his signing.
But Sarri was at least trying to lay down the law to Kepa and re-establish the authority which has been questioned after the Spanish keeper refused to be subbed at Wembley.
Sarri said: “I have to decide for my group. Not with my group. I want to send a message to my group. The message could be Kepa is on the pitch, or Kepa is not on the pitch.
“The goalkeeper is problem. He made not a a big mistake, but he is really a very nice boy. There is only one difficult thing: the results.
“There are some consequences. If the consequence is to play, he has to be ready to play. If the consequence is the bench, he has to be ready for the bench.”
Chelsea were at pains to deny there have been meetings about Sarri’s future since the League Cup final, but the Italian knows his position remains precarious.
It was also the first time Sarri has spoken about the club’s impending transfer ban covering two windows, after FIFA found them guilty of transfer irregularities in signing young non-EU players.
Sarri added: “No, I am not under pressure. But you have to ask the club. I cannot understand why you ask me this kind of question.
“You know very well I am not able to answer. If you want to know my opinion, I am not under pressure.
“Or, better, every three or four months you are under pressure, and I’ve been doing this job for 35 years. So, for me, the pressure is normal. I want to win every match, not just tomorrow.
“I don’t know very well the situation (on transfer ban), but I know the club are working. They can solve this problem. Maybe for this summer, maybe not. But they are working on it.”