Sarri: We have won 33 matches, only City have done better

Joe Williams
Maurizio Sarri Chelsea

Maurizio Sarri believes he can transform Chelsea into Premier League title contenders and admits lifting silverware is the only long-term solution to appeasing disgruntled fans.

The under-fire Blues head coach has endured a difficult first season in English football and was subjected to chants of “we want Sarri out” from unhappy travelling supporters at Cardiff on Sunday.

Sarri‘s possession-based style of play – dubbed ‘Sarri-ball’ – has not proved popular at Stamford Bridge but he feels his players are struggling to implement it, rather than there being flaws in his tactics.

He has no intention of ditching the game plan and, given time, is confident he can win around the fanbase and bring success back to the six-time English champions.

On the fans, Sarri said: “They have to help the players during the match. After the match, they can say anything, but during the match, I hope they will be able to help my players.

“It’s not helpful for my players. For me, it’s not a big problem. I’m not happy, but it’s not a big problem.

“I am 60, so I can understand. But when I was 25, probably it was different.

“We did something wrong. I don’t know what. Probably we have to win more matches, I don’t know.

“In the end, we are not doing so badly. During this season, we have won 33 matches. In England, only Manchester City did better than us.

“Of course, we know very well we need to improve our performances. But we have the chance to take our target.

“We can arrive at the end of the season in the top four. We can try to take the final in the Europa League. And so, at the end, our season can become a very good season.”

Ahead of Chelsea’s match against Brighton on Wednesday, Sarri added: “I know only one way (of satisfying supporters) – we have to win matches. We have to try to win a trophy. I know only this way.

“I think that, in the future, we will be able to fight for the top.

“At the moment, we are not playing our football very well.

“We need to improve playing our way of football. So we are trying to do this, but it’s not easy.

“It’s not easy, especially in the first season because we started to work only in the middle of July. At the beginning of August, we played the first official match.”