Previously this season Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has stated that his club just isn’t in Manchester City’s class, and thus not Premier League title contenders. Tonight, following a 2-1 loss at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sarri doubled down on his belief.
The loss to Wolves on Wednesday dropped the Blues to fourth in the Premier League table after 15 matches, and places them 10 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. The two sides will meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Despite the very disappointing loss today, Sarri believes his side will be mentally ready to take on City.
“Manchester City are in another category. They are not in our category,” Sarri said.
“We have to play and fight to stay in the top four. In the last championship in Italy, I lost the title with 91 points [at Napoli], so I know how important it is to win. It’s a difficult result to stay in the top four.
“City are the best team in Europe, maybe the world. Maybe they can win the Champions League, but it depends on moments. Last season they were the best team in the Champions League but in two matches [against Liverpool] they didn’t play, maybe not in the best moment for them.”
On November 24 Chelsea suffered their first loss, in any competition, of the season in a 3-1 league loss to Tottenham Hotspur. They had been undefeated from the Community Shield up until that point. Now they have lost their last two league games as they head into what might be the toughest test of the season.
“The match is difficult for this reason. Of course, after this match we lost confidence. But maybe it’s better, because sometimes my players show me they have too much confidence.”
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 Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.