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
MANCHESTER United caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said the owners of Norwegian club Molde sent him to Old Trafford with their blessing and asked him to try to turn his temporary stint at the club into a permanent role.
Football: Molde owners will support me if I stay at
Paul Pogba urged to quit 'pathetic' penalty run-up after taking more than 30 steps in saved spot kick against Everton couldn't help but groan. Pogba admitted he was fortunate to get
Paul Pogba: Man United can turn it round in Barcelona
Football: Yoshida-san, restore the Lions' semangat, boleh? 0:0 Comments Croatian Luxury Tourism Segment Presented in Singapore - Total Croatia News 0:0 Comments Tennis: Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas into last 16 at sweltering Roland Garros 0:0 Comments Football: Grief in Sevilla as former star Jose Antonio Reyes killed in car crash 0:0
Sunderland owner Donald to sell 64 per cent of his stake in
sportstoft.com/soccer/sunderland-owner-donald-to-sell-64-per-cent-of-his-stake-in-the-club/
Sportsmail can reveal that the deal would see Campbell acquire 64 per cent from owner Stewart Donald and 10 per cent from Uruguayan investor Juan Sartori.. That would leave Donald and Sartori each with a 10 per cent stake, and executive director Charlie Methven is likely to retain the six per cent share he was given by Donald for brokering the purchase of the club from Ellis Short just 13
Newspapers | Media | Virginia Bus
virginiabus.info/news/us-biologists-probe-deaths-of-70-emaciated-gray-whales/
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (REUTERS) - US government biologists have launched a special investigation into the deaths of at least 70 gray whales washed ashore in recent months along the US West Coast, from California to Alaska, many of them emaciated, officials said on Friday (May 31).
Play Kahoot! - Enter game PIN here
Sergio Ramos scored twice to put Real Madrid on the brink of the Copa del Rey semi-finals as they came from behind to beat Girona 4-2 in a thrilling first leg on Thursday.Ramos' chipped penalty
Ramos double puts Madrid within sight of the semi-finals
Will it become a launching pad for a new era of glory? keep spending and seize opportunity to usher in new era of glory Mayor reigning triumphant after the team defeated Tottenham Hotspur.
Can Tottenham Hotspur's New Stadium Deliver Success?
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says Cristiano Ronaldo will be '150 per cent' fit for the Champions League final as he allays fears over ankle injury Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off with an ankle injury during Barcelona draw Real Madrid face Liverpool in the Champions League final in just three weeks
Cristiano Ronaldo: Juventus and Portugal forward downplays
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN is furious with the Barcelona squad after they 'vetoed the decision to sign him', it has been claimed. The French international enraged Atletico fans when he announced he was
Griezmann fires Atletico level with Barcelona - Afriupdate
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has promised Manchester United will go on the attack against Paris Saint-Germain in a bid to qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals. PSG outplayed United 2-0 at Old Trafford last month to take complete control of their last-16 tie and Solskjaer's side will be without inspirational midfielder Paul Pogba due to
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tells Manchester United to go all out on
PARIS, June 7 (Reuters) - France got off to a perfect start in the women's World Cup as the hosts beat South Korea 4-0 in the opening game at the Parc des Princes on Friday.
France make light work of South Korea in World Cup opener
Football: Qatar players cleared in eligibility row just
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen