DRINKWATER WAS NEVER GOING TO PLAY, SAYS SARRI

CHELSEA manager Maurizio Sarri has revealed he told Danny Drinkwater in August that he would not play during his reign as manager and insists there is nothing he can do to help the midfielder. Drinkwater has been charged with drink-driving this week after he was arrested when a Range Rover crashed in Mere, Cheshire in the early hours of Monday. Cheshire Police said two women and a man were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Drinkwater, 29, will appear at Stockport Magistrates Court on May 13. After making a £35million transfer from Leicester, Drinkwater played 22 times for Chelsea under Antonio Conte but he has been cut adrift by Sarri this season and has appeared only for half an hour in the Community Shield defeat by Manchester City. Sarri insists he has a good relationship with Drinkwater, who regularly trains with the firstteam squad but the Italian is still to speak to him following his arrest this week. Ahead of this evening’s Europa League quarterfinal first-leg away at Slavia Prague, Sarri said: ‘As he knows very well, he has never played because, in my opinion, he is not suitable to my system. I told him everything in August. He appreciated it, but he decided to remain. I said to him he should look for something different. He’s a good boy, he’s a good player and able to play in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 very well. ‘But he’s not suitable for me. He knew the situation.’ Sarri admitted he had not spoken to Drinkwater since the incident. ‘No, not this week, because yesterday I arrived on the pitch and the training was beginning with (assistant Gianfranco) Zola. After the training session, I went to work because I wanted to see Slavia’s last match. I think I will speak with him on Friday.’ One source close to Drinkwater privately believes that the player’s omission at Chelsea has derailed his personal life but Sarri insists there is nothing more he can do as a manager. Chelsea insist that the club provide support to those players who request it or are felt to require an intervention. ‘No, I cannot do anything,’ Sarri said. ‘At the moment, I am not able to satisfy him as a player.’ The FIFA Appeals Committee will also deliberate today over Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban that is set to come into effect this summer.