Sarri vows to fight as Chelsea ride luck amid fan mutiny in Cardiff
Cardiff: Maurizio Sarri insists he will fight to remain Chelsea manager despite fans chanting for him to be sacked during their controversial 2-1 win at Cardiff.
Sarri’s position looked precarious when Chelsea trailed 1-0 against Premier League strugglers Cardiff with just six minutes remaining on Sunday.
Victor Camarasa’s goal looked likely to dent Chelsea’s pursuit of a top four finish and their supporters’ anger towards Sarri was audible.
But a dubious equaliser from Cesar Azpilicueta, who was clearly offside, and a stoppage-time Ruben Loftus-Cheek winner rescued Sarri’s team, who stay within touching distance of a place in next season’s Champions League.
Asked how he had felt when the chants of “We want Sarri out” rang out from the visiting fans, Sarri said: “I don’t want to answer, but I can understand the reaction of the fans.
“But it was probably best for them to wait until the end of the match.”
Sarri insisted he wouldn’t let the supporters’ abuse drive him out of Stamford Bridge, although he may yet have that decision taken out of his hands if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League.
“I am getting used to this and for me it’s not a big problem. I just have to work to change their opinion,” he said.
“I want to stay here. When I arrived the team were 30 points behind Manchester City. I want to stay and improve results, but it is not easy work.
“At the moment, there is a difference between Manchester City, Liverpool and us.”
The victory keeps Chelsea in sixth place, but only a point behind fourth-placed Manchester United, and may also have emboldened Sarri to launch a staunch defence of his selection decisions.
He began with both Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante on the substitutes’ bench and failed to hand an appearance to in-form England teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi.
“Hazard cannot play 70 matches a season,” added Sarri. “Kante has played a lot of games and in every season there is a moment when you have to give players a rest.” — AFP