LONDON • Maurizio Sarri has dismissed suggestions Chelsea are still in the title race, claiming this season would be a straight "fight between Liverpool and Manchester City".
While City manager Pep Guardiola has refused to rule the Blues out of contention, the Chelsea boss feels his fourth-placed team, who trail the front runners by 12 points, can only aim "for the top four this season, (and) no more".
At his pre-match press conference ahead of their Premier League clash with the league leaders at the Etihad tomorrow, he said: "Guardiola is in the third season in the Premier League. We have to try to reduce the gap.
"At the moment, City are the best team in Europe. We need to defend very well and to be very fast when we recover the ball.
"They are able to press really very well. If we do it, we can find spaces. But it's very difficult."
The Italian added his players were "lucky" to beat City in December when they ended the champions' 21-match unbeaten run with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Playing Guardiola's men away remains one of the toughest tasks in English football and Sarri's preparations were not helped by Eden Hazard's midweek admission he had made a decision on his future, with his Chelsea contract expiring in June 2020 and amid repeated links with a move to Real Madrid.
Asked about the speculation, which has continued to swirl over a potential move to the European champions, the 60-year-old said he wanted the Belgium forward to be "happy" wherever his future lies.
He added: "I speak every day with Eden, but I speak with Eden about his position on the pitch.
"I will be really very happy with him if he wants to stay because in my opinion, he's the best in Europe.
"But it's up to him. I want to see him happy. And so, he has to decide."
With Liverpool holding a game in hand, Guardiola is well aware any slip-up at home could hand the initiative back to Jurgen Klopp's men and he urged his players to treat the game like a "final for us".
WANDERLUST
I didn't know it. What? I'll have to install Instagram on my account. He said he was going to Paris, but Hong Kong is far away. It will definitely not be okay if he is in Hong Kong.
PEP GUARDIOLA, responding to a reporter's query on left-back Benjamin Mendy's Instagram story tagging him in Hong Kong.
The 48-year-old told reporters: "We have to play in that way. I have a lot of respect (for Chelsea).
"Everyone must work and create something. When I saw Chelsea in pre-season in (the) Charity Shield, they were already there.
"The season from Chelsea has been exceptional, the Premier League is there, they (still) have a chance to be champions, a lot of games to play and the (League) cup is there as well.
"I see how they play and recognise what they want to do."
Guardiola also backed Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, who is just one hat-trick behind Alan Shearer's league record of 11 after his treble against Arsenal last weekend, to keep "appearing in the key moments" as "important games belong to big players".
He also revealed captain Vincent Kompany and fellow defender Benjamin Mendy would not be fit for the encounter before expressing his shock that the latter was supposedly in Hong Kong, having tagged himself at the city's airport on his Instagram account.
The Spaniard added: "I didn't know it. What? I'll have to install Instagram on my account.
"He said he was going to Paris, but Hong Kong is far away. It will definitely not be okay if he is in Hong Kong."
The Frenchman yesterday clarified on Twitter it was a joke, tweeting: "It was just joking with my Uber driver. I don't want no problems with Pep."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
SEE Reliance on Wizard can be Blues' hazard
MANCHESTER CITY V CHELSEA
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, tomorrow, 11.55pm
Football: 2018 World Cup watched by record 3.5 billion people
Then I got a brace and was feeling more comfortable as games went on." "We just have to stay focused and do our job on every play." Coach (Mike McCulloch) tells us to mainly work on
Olaroiu tells Al Ahli: Forget past matches and focus on the
Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio thriller Sport > Football > Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio thriller By 24matins.uk with AFP, published 21 May 2019 at 1h00 BST , updated on 21 May 2019 at 1h01 BST .
Football: Bologna earn Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio
Pele had the surgery at the Israelite Albert Einstein hospital. "The procedure was a success and the patient is back in his room," a brief statement from doctors said. Considered by many the game
Football: Pele recovering well after kidney stone operation
PARIS • Paris Saint-Germain may have clinched their long-expected sixth Ligue 1 title in the past seven seasons, but that triumph cannot mask the French club's shortcomings on the European stage where results have failed to match their huge investments.
Title cannot soothe PSG's pain in Europe - theworldnews.net
Football: Southampton power past struggling Huddersfield Town
Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Torino - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - May 3, 2019 Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Massimo Pinca
Ronaldo scores late goal as Juventus foil Torino in - ESPN
Manchester City's England forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at this year's BT Sport Industry Awards for speaking out on a range of social issues, including
Raheem Sterling honoured with Integrity and Impact Award
Football: Bologna earn Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio thriller Bologna's Andrea Poli (left) celebrates with teammate Riccardo Orsolini after scoring his side's first goal against Lazio during
Football: Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal
Interviewed by Spanish TV channel La Sexta on Sunday, the pope praised his Argentine compatriot Messi, but said he must not be called God. Two 'He's great to watch, but he's not God': Pope sets
'He's great to watch, but he's not God' - Pope sets fans
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 26, 2019, with the headline 'Teenage Italy midfielder Zaniolo oozes Roman pedigree'. Print Edition | Subscribe
Teenage Italy midfielder Zaniolo oozes Roman pedigree
WATCH: Mourinho humiliated by fall at Russian hockey league face-off AFP Former Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho fell as he presented a symbolic face-off at a Russian hockey match.
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener Netherlands' defender Matthijs de Ligt (centre) vies with Belarus' midfielder Ihar Stasevich. Memphis Depay dazzled for the Netherlands with a brace and two assists as they cruised past Belarus 4-0 in their opening Euro 2020 qualifier on Thursday despite having to play the final 20
Depay fires Dutch past Belarus in Euro 2020 qualifying opener
Defender Jan Vertonghen scored once and set up another goal for Son Heung-min as Tottenham Hotspur beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday to give them the clear edge following
Vertonghen shines as Tottenham beat Dortmund 3-0 - SuperSport
adtest.supersport.com/football/uefa-champions-league/news/190214/Vertonghen_shines_as_Tottenham_beat_Dortmund_30
Defender Jan Vertonghen scored once and set up another goal for Son Heung-min as Tottenham Hotspur beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday to give them the clear edge following the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie. > > > HIGHLIGHTS from all the Premier League games . . .
Football: Vertonghen shines as Tottenham beat Dortmund 3-0
0 comments:
Post a Comment