Confident Sarri says he’s already making plans for pre-season
MAURIZIO SARRI is so confident he will be Chelsea’s manager next year, the Italian is already helping to plan the Blues’ pre-season campaign.
The 60-year-old seemed just a game away from the sack at Stamford Bridge three weeks ago, after his side were thrashed 6-0 by Manchester City and then turfed out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.
But Sarri, boosted by an encouraging performance in the League Cup final and back to back wins against Tottenham and Fulham, is still there. And looking to the future.
Chelsea are set to visit Japan in pre-season, with potential games against Kawasaki Frontale and Barcelona. Sarri is already helping to plan that trip – which is why he claims he was totally relaxed when all the speculation was flying around him.
Sarri’s side are still two points outside the top four, but their other route to Champions League football next term – on which his future really depends – is in the Europa League, where they face Dynamo Kiev in the first leg of their last-16 tie tonight.
Sarri said: “It’s not important if I’m here next season. Right now, what is important are only the results. Right now, only the Europa League is important. Dynamo Kiev is everything. I am confident.
“Otherwise, I would not be able to do my work. I have to think that I will be here next season, if I want to do my job.
“We have been talking ng about the problems of the e next pre-season. We e were trying to organise e it in the best way.”
But the former r Napoli manager, who o could still be in trouble if his team, who face tricky games against Wolves, Everton and Liverpool in the next few weeks, slip further out of the top- four reckoning, insists he is not THAT relaxed.
The Italian said: “I don’t want to be relaxed. I want to be nervous. I have to think about a very important match against Dynamo – and then another after 62 or 63 hours in the Premier League. So, I don’t want to be relaxed.” Defender David Luiz insisted Sarri had not changed when all the pressure was piling on him in the l last few weeks.
“He is a great h human. You don’t c h a nge yo u r c character because of t the situation, you c change the s situation,” he said. “He is someone with the love and passion for football, loving with people and trying to help everyone, giving the best advice.
“When you lose a game, like we did at Manchester City, no one is going to be happy and coming in Live on BT Sport 2 from 7.30pm here joking around. He’s a real person, and real people have feelings, good and bad.”
The Brazilian insisted Chelsea’s players have had to up their mental game to cope with recent poor results and to learn how to play “Sarri-ball” properly. roperly.
He added: “You u have to be intelligent and clever lever to find solutions. I think we did that.
“It’s never easy sy playing for big g clubs, who fight for every competition. But when things are not going well, you have to have the same mentality y and hunger.”