LONDON • Manager Maurizio Sarri says he is not worried about Chelsea's looming transfer embargo, insisting he has confidence in his squad as he targets a top-four finish in the Premier League.
The Stamford Bridge club, who host London rivals West Ham on Monday, are fifth in the table, level on 63 points with fourth-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
Chelsea were handed a two-window transfer ban by world governing body Fifa in February over the recruitment of foreign youngsters, with the appeal against the sanction set to be heard next Thursday.
Sarri said at his pre-match press conference yesterday that he was not concerned even if the appeal is not successful and that he was "very confident in my players". He said: "We have a lot of very good young players who are improving.
"If they are able to improve, we will be a better team in the future. I am not worried about the market. I am confident in my players."
Manchester City and Liverpool are virtually assured of Champions League places for next season, but Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are separated by just three points as they target the two remaining places.
WE'LL BE FINE
If they are able to improve, we will be a better team in the future. I am not worried about the market. I am confident in my players.
MAURIZIO SARRI, Chelsea manager, who is not concerned about the impact of a two-window transfer ban on the EPL club.
However, Chelsea, who face Slavia Prague in the last eight of the Europa League, could also secure Champions League qualification by winning the competition .
Sarri said the final weeks of the season would be tough, with away league games against Liverpool and United on top of their European commitments, and wants to keep his players as fresh as possible for the run-in.
"The last part of the season will be very difficult for every team," he said."We have to fight until the last minute of the last match, but without looking at the other results.
He also revealed he wants to keep Gonzalo Higuain next season, even though the transfer ban may block the club turning his loan from Juventus into a permanent move.
The striker spent the first half of the season on loan at Milan and has struggled since arriving at Stamford Bridge in January, scoring just three goals in 11 appearances, all of which came against already relegated Huddersfield and Fulham.
Asked if he wants to keep the 31-year-old, Sarri said: "Yes of course, but it depends on the club, it depends on Juventus, it's not clear the situation at the moment.
"I think that he has to improve, physically, mentally. But I think also that he will be able to be very useful for us in the last part of the season.
"You know very well that it's not easy in the first months to play in the Premier League, it was a problem also for (Luis) Suarez in the first season at Liverpool."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Feb 15, 2018 · Editorial: Ban California kids from playing Pop Warner football A good case can even be made that tackle football should be banned at all public schools. New H-2B publication rules would
The ban on Iranian women attending men's soccer matches has
Maurizio Sarri was back answering the media's questions at Cobham today and he spoke at length about Callum Hudson-Odoi, a star for England during the international break and who Sarri hopes will play a prominent part in Chelsea's end to the season.
Sarri to determine transfer fate of Kostas Manolas - Thewistle
Lions hungry for post-raya victory. The Fandi brothers are back in town to play in this weekend's Merlion Cup. The Straits Times caught up with them on their experience playing overseas, what it's
Flipboard: Lions hungry for post-raya victory
United dump holders Chelsea out of FA Cup to pile pressure on Sarri Sports By John Doe 2019-02-19 London (Reuters): Manchester United's Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba headed first-half goals to claim a 2-0 win that dumped FA Cup holders Chelsea out of the competition and secured a place in the quarter-finals in an intense tie at Stamford Bridge
United dump holders Chelsea out of Cup to pile pressure on
Football: Klopp relaxed about Salah's Liverpool drought
Crystal Palace piled further pressure on Leicester City manager Claude Puel on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 Premier League win over his team, who have now gone seven games without a victory
Sport: Palace rout Leicester to step up pressure on Puel
Feb 27 - MANCHESTER CITY 1 WEST HAM UNITED 0 . Sergio Aguero's penalty gave champions Manchester City a 1-0 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to stay a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Aguero penalty gives Man City 1-0 win over West Ham
May 19, 2019 · Vincent Kompany left a victorious Manchester City dressing room at Wembley for the fifth and final time knowing that his secret would be out soon enough. "Family commitments," was the line
Vincent Kompany - Wikipedia
Premier League: Southampton Stun Fading Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle Edge Five-Goal Everton Thriller Updated: 09 March 2019 23:03 IST Mauricio Pochettino's men threw away an early lead through
Football: Southampton stun fading Spurs, Newcastle edge five
Man City 1-0 West Ham: Sergio Aguero penalty, Man City one point behind leaders Liverpool Sergio Aguero's penalty gave champions Manchester City a slender win over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium
Football: Man City come from two goals down to reach FA Cup last four LONDON (REUTERS) - Premier League leaders Manchester City recovered from two goals down to beat Championship side Swansea City 3-2 at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday (March 16) to progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.
Man City come from two goals down to reach FA Cup last four
Football: Gabriel Jesus fires as Manchester City snatch top spot from Liverpool LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City laid down the gauntlet to Liverpool by leapfrogging their title rivals back to the top of the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Everton at the Etihad on Saturday (Dec 15).
Gabriel Jesus fires twice as Manchester City snatch top spot
NEW YORK • Organisers of the Worldwide Champions Cup (ICC) - a high-profile summer time match for the world's largest soccer golf equipment - have determined to maintain Juventus and their star Cristiano Ronaldo away from the US this 12 months, eliminating the danger of the Portuguese being detained by authorities as a part of …
Ronaldo and Juventus Will Avoid U.S. Amid Rape Investigation
Fabregas Completes Move from Chelsea to Monaco, Reunites With Henry Fabregas put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Stade Louis II after passing a medical earlier in the day, as he teams up with former Arsenal teammate Thierry Henry on the Mediterranean coast.
Cesc Fabregas completes move to Monaco, reunites with Thierry
0 comments:
Post a Comment