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
Spurs must drop Lloris for top 4, says Jenas, Football News
Headline Klopp: This is only the first step. If anyone, at this late, nerve-shredding stage of the Premier League title race, had the ability to somehow summon actor Sean Connery into proceedings
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
Football: Klopp plays down Liverpool fatigue concerns ahead of season run-in finish last year and it could come in handy as they approach another intriguing season finale. resolve the
Klopp plays down Liverpool fatigue concerns ahead of season
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 16, 2019, with the headline 'City will pounce if Liverpool slip up: Guardiola'. Print Edition | Subscribe
City will pounce if Liverpool slip up: Guardiola
Ajax Amsterdam took a massive stride towards a first Champions League final for 23 years as Donny van de Beek's early goal earned a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their semifinal
Van de Beek gives Ajax edge over Tottenham in Champions
Real lose all in space of a week MADRID • Real Madrid have been European champions for 1,012 days, but their time is up. On June 1, the 2019 Champions League final will be held just 14km away at the home of rivals Atletico but, for the first time after reaching and winning three straight finals, Los Blancos will not be there.
The 25 Best Space Movies Ever - The Ringer
Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has earned a world fortune from being sacked as a manager. The Portuguese's time at Old Trafford came to a halt on Tuesday morning after two and a half
Jose Mourinho told Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich: 'Pay me
Brewers aim to keep momentum going vs. Pirates. Field Level Media May 31, 2019, 4:33 AM UTC. The Milwaukee Brewers don't need Christian Yelich to hit homers to win. After all, Yelich didn't add to
Rockets aim to keep momentum - YouTube
: Sergio Aguero of Manchester City celebrates after scoring Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images Sergio Aguero's 14th hat-trick for Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to only two points after victory over Arsenal at Etihad Stadium.
Aguero Hat-Trick Fires Man City To 3-1 Win Over Arsenal
LONDON (AFP) - Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen will see a neurologist on Thursday (May 2) after suffering a horrific head injury during his side's Champions League semi-final defeat against Ajax..
Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen will miss Bournemouth game after
Football: AC Milan miss out on top-four finish in Serie A
Cardiff City recorded a second consecutive win in the Premier League and Sol Bamba and Neil Warnock dedicated victory to Emiliano Sala. Both Sol Bamba and Neil Warnock were proud to have won for
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Manchester United - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 10, 2019 Manchester United's Ashley Young blocks a shot from Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette
Football: Lacazette's ban reduced, free to face Rennes : The
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar