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What's the story?
Maurizio Sarri has got plenty of stick lately for Chelsea's on-field performances and his off-field comments about the player's attitudes. However, Sarri's assistant Gianfranco Zola has backed the Blues manager and asked for him to be given more time to achieve the desired success at the club, as reported by The Guardian.
In case you didn't know...
Chelsea appointed Sarri to replace the former manager and fellow Italian Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge before the start of the current campaign.
Sarri had made a name for himself after his Napoli side displayed some scintillating football both in the Serie A and in the Champions League. Even Pep Guardiola considered Napoli as the best team he faced last season.
The heart of the matter
Chelsea started the current season brightly, and looked to be in the race for the Premier League title along with Manchester City and Liverpool. The fans looked delighted as the Blues played a more attacking brand of football, which was new to them.
However, as the season progressed, the wheels seemed to come off, and Chelsea are now struggling to finish in the top four. The manager has often looked frustrated, and has even criticized his players for their lack of motivation.
Amidst the speculations of Sarri's departure from the club, his assistant Gianfranco Zola has shown support for the Italian's ambitions. Zola appears confident of Sarri's success in the long run, and he said:
"I know there are questions about what we’re doing, a lot of doubts, but we are adapting to the league. But we don’t change what we believe is good for this club because, otherwise, we are nothing. What we’re trying to do is ambitious in a competitive league, and it’s not easy."
He further drew comparisons with Pep Guardiola, and believes that since the Spaniard got time to adapt, he never budged from his philosophy of playing out from the back - which ultimately yielded dividends.
What's next?
The Chelsea management doesn't shy away from sacking managers if things don't go as planned. With Sarri standing on the precipice, the best he least he can do is win the FA Cup tie against Manchester United and hold on to his job for the time being.
