Chelsea could use international break to sack under-fire boss Maurizio Sarri
The Italian looked to have turned a corner after the Carabao Cup final defeat but his side were beaten 2-0 at Everton yesterday
CHELSEA could use the international break to sack manager Maurizio Sarri, according to reports.
The Italian, 60, was already under pressure following a string of poor results and the fiasco with Kepa Arrizabalaga during the Carabao Cup final.
But despite seemingly turning a corner, the Blues were beaten 2-0 at Everton yesterday.
Sarri has made it clear he has struggled to motivate his players this season but is persisting as he tries to implement ‘Sarriball’.
According to the , though, Roman Abramovich may well have seen enough and could pull the trigger during the break as players jet off to represent their countries around the world.
Chelsea do not play again until March 31 – a trip to South Wales to face struggling Cardiff – so the Russian owner would have almost two weeks to bring in a replacement before the next game.
Not only did goals from Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson inflict a seventh league defeat of the season but it was the manner of the second-half performance that was particularly concerning.
Sarri said: “I don’t know and the players don’t know what happened in the second half.
“I cannot explain it. We played the best first half in the season and we could have scored four or five and then suddenly we stopped playing.
“It’s very strange. We were in control of the match and we played very well but we didn’t defend at the start of the second half. We changed the system but it was the same.
“The problem was mental on the pitch, so the system and the tactics are not important.
“It wasn’t about motivation because we started very well. We have to play eight matches now and we have to fight for our possibilities.”
The defeat at Everton leaves Chelsea three points behind Arsenal in the race for the top four and the Gunners have a game in hand.
And following the Carabao Cup final defeat and crashing out of the FA Cup to Manchester United, Sarri’s only chance of silverware in his first season at Stamford Bridge remains the Europa League.
Of course, if Chelsea can go all the way and win the final in Baku, they would automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League.
But whether Sarri will be there to lead them in Europe’s elite club competition – or even to lead them to qualifying – remains unclear.