Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri met the media today ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League round of 32 clash against Malmo. On Sunday, Chelsea will square off against juggernaut Manchester City in the EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium. On Monday night, Chelsea’s defense of their FA Cup title ended when Manchester United dumped them out of this year’s tournament.
In other words, we’re in the midst of a huge week at Stamford Bridge, and the number one topic, above all else is Sarri’s future. It is thought that his job is safe until at least the end of the week, but that his seat is absolutely scorching hot right now. The Chelsea fan base has certainly turned on Sarri, so it remains to be seen how much patience owner Roman Abramovich will really have.
After all, Abramovich is notorious for having very little patience with his field managers.
Maurizio Sarri said today that he hasn’t held any meetings with either Abramovich or club director Marina Granovskaia this week about his future. He said he’s fully focused on trying to get things turned around, but admits a level of uncertainty about his future.
“I have to think that I will be the manager of Chelsea for a long time, otherwise I cannot work. I am not sure (if I will be here for a long time), but I have to think this. I have to work and I want to work with a long-range target,” he said.
“Of course in this moment it’s very difficult to think we’re able to win three, four matches in a row. As you know very well in football everything can change in one day. I think we need first of all a good performance, a good result and with more confidence we are able to do anything.”
Chelsea FC vs Malmo UEFA Europa League Round of 32 FYIs
Kickoff: Thursday, February 21, 8pm, Stamford Bridge
Team news, starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Odds via Bet365 to win UEL tournament: Chelsea 4/1, Arsenal 6/1, Napoli 6/1, Inter 10/1, Sevilla 12/1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.