Keep calm and Sarri on
MANAGER NOT FEELING PRESSURE PROBABLE TEAMS TODAY, KICK-OFF 2.05PM
FULHAM v CHELSEA
The 60-year-old has come under intense scrutiny at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks – and the crisis came to a crescendo at the Carabao Cup final at Wembley last weekend when goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (right) refused to be substituted.
Despite then seeing his side lose the trophy in a penalty shootout, the Blues boss reckons he had it tougher at Napoli and during his early days as a coach while working as a banker. Sarri said: “The pressure at Napoli was a lot higher than here.
“There were times in my early career, when I was learning as a coach, that the pressure was very high, too. I felt immense pressure in Serie C and very little sometimes in the Champions League.
“Pressure is what you make it. It’s not the importance the media puts on a match that brings the pressure, it’s how the coach and the players see the game.” Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham meant Chelsea have forced their back into the top-four battle, and they are through to face Dynamo Kiev in the last 16 of the Europa League after beating Malmo 3-0. Sarri added: “It’s been a very good week for us. We’ve won two matches, two very important matches. We drew against City and that was a really important game for our confidence. “I expected the Champions League places to be tight and now I can understand how hard it is to get into the top four in England. “It’s not just the Premier League, though, because you have to play in the FA Cup, the League Cup, and every match is tough. In the League Cup, we played against Liverpool, twice against Tottenham, the final against Manchester City... it seems like the Champions League. “If you beat Liverpool and beat Tottenham, you can get into the final of the Champions League, so every match is so hard and mentally exhausting. “In England, the season is very difficult.”