Maurizio Sarri has told Chelsea’s hierarchy that if his future at the club depends on winning the Europa League then he would rather leave “immediately”.
Italian coach Sarri only joined Chelsea from Napoli at the start of the season and initially looked to have made an impact, as the Blues’ Premier League campaign began strongly.
But fan discontent grew amid poor form and Sarri came under pressure after the turn of the year, with media reports suggesting he was close to being sacked.
Sarri managed to cling on and performances towards the end of the season improved, securing a third-place finish in the Premier League and a spot in the Europa League final.
A return to Italy has been mooted, with the coach reportedly in danger of being dismissed if Chelsea do not win the Europa League, but Sarri thinks such a scenario would be unfair.
When asked if he feels it would be right for his job to depend on one game, Sarri told a news conference: “If the situation is like this, I want to go immediately.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/1131152714249986048
“You cannot have 10 months of work and then I have to play [for] everything in 90 minutes like this, it is not right.
“You are happy about my work, or you are not happy.”
“My future is Wednesday, I think,” he said. “I need to think only about the final at this moment. I have two years of contract here, so I have no contact with other clubs at the moment.
“I have to speak at my club first of all after the final. I want to know if they are happy with me or not. That is it. I have two more years of contract
“As you know, I like very much at the moment the Premier League. It’s the most important championship in the world. It’s very exciting being here, but now it’s time only to think of the final.
“I am very happy to stay in the Premier League. Chelsea is one of the most important clubs in the Premier League, so I’m really very happy, but we have to discuss the situation. But that’s normal, every season you have to discuss the situation with the club, you do it like this.”
It was also put to Sarri that he might be happier in Italy, with some critics suggesting his style of play is not suited to the Premier League, a claim he scoffed at.
He said: “I cannot understand why, for my football? I think in the last two years Manchester City won everything in England.
“So, I think the way of football of City is not like mine but similar, so I think we can play my football also in England.”
