WHO’S SARRI NOW ?
Chelsea boss hits back at abusive fans as controversial late goals hand Blues a slice of good fortune.. and tip Bluebirds towards the drop
MAURIZIO SARRI insisted he will not be driven out by Chelsea fans as the Italian admitted he was getting used to abuse from them.
The Blues boss acknowledged his side were “lucky” to score two late goals – including a blatantly offside equaliser – to snatch a ridiculous win at Cardiff and quell the growing mutiny among his club’s support.
But the former Napoli boss declined to say if he was still happy in West London after a torrid afternoon in South Wales for his disjointed team.
The most adventurous and entertaining coach in Serie A last season has been reduced to continually justifying his existence by the relentless pressure at Stamford Bridge.
It is the Chelsea way. Though no previous coach or manager has sustained such prolonged abuse and this result perhaps only delayed the inevitable.
Asked if fan fury would force him out of the job he took only last summer, the 60-year-old said: “No, no, I want to stay here, I want to improve the results. But of course it wasn’t a very easy day.
“Probably, at the moment, there is a difference between Manchester City, Liverpool and us. We can fight with the others, I think. We are trying to do it, but we have to work very well and for a long time if we want to arrive in the top two.”
Sarri certainly does nothing to court easy popularity as he opted to start the game with Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante and new England star Callum Hudson-Odoi on the bench.
After a woeful first half, Cardiff deservedly took the lead 52 seconds into the second period through Victor Camarasa’s fifth goal of the season. Hazard was then thrown on, but growing unrest from Chelsea fans - including calls for Sarri to be sacked and the familiar one-worded critique of ‘Sarriball’ – reached fever pitch when the introduction of third sub Olivier Giroud ensured favourite Hudson-Odoi would not appear.
Despite remaining in the Europa League and an impending transfer ban, defeat here could have seen the Italian join a long line of Chelsea coaches to be sacked mid-season.
Late goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who Sarri opted to send on instead of HudsonOdoi for Jorginho, ensured an undeserved win and eased the pressure on Sarri for another day.
“We were lucky because, in the first half, we didn’t play very well,” he said. “But, at the end, I think we deserved to win.
“I can understand it [fan opposition] very well. I have been on the pitch for the last 45 years, so I know the reaction of the fans. I was really disappointed for my players, because they were fighting.
“Probably it was better to wait until the end of the match. But, for me, it’s not a big problem. Of course I can understand. “Unfortunately, in the last period, I am getting used to this. Unfortunately. I have to work just in order to change their opinion.
“Can I win them around? I don’t know. I think that we only need to win matches. If you win matches, the fans will be happy. Of course, we need to improve and play better.
“But sometimes, during the season, you need to win matches like this.”
Sarri defended his team selection which saw a midfield in sharp contrast to his team’s bright orange socks. “I cannot think that Kante, Hazard, can play 70 matches in a season,” he insisted.
Asked if he is still happy at Chelsea, Sarri added: “I’m really very happy for the three points. Really very happy. It’s a very important sign for us today.”