LONDON • Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is surprised by Chelsea's revolving-door policy with managers as he prepares for today's League Cup final, the match that could seal the fate of his counterpart Maurizio Sarri.
The Spaniard stated that he enjoyed City's backing in a way the Blues' former manager Antonio Conte never did, and suggested Sarri may encounter the same lack of support.
There has been mounting speculation over Sarri's future in recent weeks, after a mid-season slump best exemplified by the 6-0 humiliation in their league visit to City's Etihad Stadium earlier this month.
Guardiola believes Chelsea should adopt the same sort of long-term view City took when they employed him in 2016.
Comparisons have been drawn with his first season, when City struggled to adapt to his demanding style of play, although he was keen to dismiss the similarities.
"The situation is a little bit different. In my first year, never did the club doubt me. It was never in the media that I'd be sacked if they lose this game or the other game. It never happened," he said.
"I was surprised that when Conte won the title and they lost one or two games at the beginning of the following season, people started to say he was going to be sacked.
"I said: 'Wow, but two or three months ago they won the Premier League.' The situation is completely different."
Sarri is contesting his first final as a manager. City, however, remain favourites after overwhelming the Blues the last time out.
Guardiola, though, feels the 6-0 win counts for nothing as Chelsea will step up a gear in a Cup final.
He said: "I don't like to play a team again in a short period of time, when you've beaten them by so much. They are incredible professional players and they will put in extra (for the final)."
Sarri also cannot understand why his position is under threat.
The Guardian reported that the Blues are even considering hiring their former coach and current England assistant manager Steve Holland to help steady the ship on an interim basis.
Guardiola had a history of success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich and was given time and funds to overhaul City, but Sarri is unlikely to receive the same leeway.
The Italian also pointed to the praise given to Arsenal boss Unai Emery in the Spaniard's first season in the Premier League.
"We are in the first final of the season. We are one point from the top four, the same points as Arsenal, and (people say) Arsenal are doing well," Sarri said. "We are doing a little bit better because we are in a final, and yet our season is a disaster. I don't understand.
"Last season, this team gained 70 points, not 100. Then, in the summer, we changed everything. So there is another problem to solve."
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is not renowned for his patience, and the two transfer-window bans imposed by Fifa on the Blues could not have come at a worse possible time for Sarri.
Even a win today may only delay the inevitable.
THE GUARDIAN, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
CHELSEA V MAN CITY
Singtel TV CH111 & StarHub Ch202, tomorrow, 12.30am
Jong Ajax won Eerste Divisie (the league below the Eredivisie) last year, while Heitinga's under-19s topped their pool in the UEFA Youth League and the under-17s took the Future Cup last April. All the while, the club tries to stay true to its foundation: giving youth a chance and playing beautiful football while keeping Cruyff at the forefront.
The Ajax stars who've stunned the world with Champions League
Leonardo Bonucci has backtracked on suggestions his Juventus team-mate Moise Kean was partly responsible for the racist abuse he received from Cagliari supporters by insisting he was
Moise Kean: Paul Pogba lends support to Juventus star
Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 Second Leg - Real Madrid v Ajax Amsterdam - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 5, 2019 Ajax's Lasse Schone scores their fourth goal REUTERS/Su
Shellshocked Madrid knocked out of Champions League by
Kepa Arrizabalaga is a 'disgrace' and deserves to be sacked by Chelsea after refusing to be subbed off during the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City. That is the
Kepa Arrizabalaga 'should be sacked' by Chelsea after
Wayne Rooney's first three goals of the season led DC United to a dominant 5-0 win over visiting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.. It was Rooney's first hat-trick in Major League Soccer, and his fifth
MLS: Wayne Rooney hits hat-trick as DC United thrash Real
Hello and welcome to my AXE Media TV review.. Is AXE Media TV a scam? This is one of the questions that we are going to look into and share my thoughts. We are also going to discover information about the company and who owns it, the products or services they offer and the compensation plan and how you get paid.
Barcelona News: Club President confirms Valverde stay
Liverpool's result at Bayern won't affect Premier League bid - Klopp 19.35 Mo Salah: "I'll be honest with you, the most prestigious competition for me is the Champions League.
Liverpool's win over Bayern Munich will HELP Premier League
Ramsey poised to sign five-year, €40m Juventus deal Independent.ie Aaron Ramsey will join Italian giants Juventus next summer after agreeing a deal which will pay him €40million over the next
Aaron Ramsey agrees five-year deal with Juventus | Daily Mail
La Liga's all-time top goalscorer is Argentine Lionel Messi, who also holds the record for most goals scored in a season with 50 goals in 2011-12. Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Athletic Bilbao's Telmo Zarra, who was the competition's all-time top scorer until 2014, are the only players ever to win the top scorer's award in six seasons.
Messi finishes season leading La Liga in goals, assists, and
With Silva, Portugal no more just the Ronaldo show, Football
Chelsea face a partial closure of Stamford Bridge However, UEFA will decide on Friday whether to open its own disciplinary case. The European football's governing body's regulations state that
The punishments Chelsea could face after UEFA charge for
0 comments:
Post a Comment