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2019 McCarthy Calls on Sarri Seeking To Leave Chelsea
Maurizio Sarri has
5th, told Chelsea he wants
June Players To Remember to leave the club this
summer, according to
| Danish ‘Insults’ reports in Italy.
EXAMINER Before Euro Qualifier manager has been the
Sarri’s future as
subject of much dis-
cussion during the end
IRISH of a campaign in which
Chelsea secured a return to the Champions League by finishing
third in the Premier League and then won the Europa League.
Sarri has been widely linked with Serie A champions
Juventus, who are seeking a successor to Massimiliano Allegri.
Reports in Italy said Sarri held talks with Chelsea director
Marina Granovskaia on Friday and informed her that he want-
ed to return to his homeland.
Granovskaia, it is said, has promised to talk to club owner
Roman Abramovich about his future.
Sarri succeeded Antonio Conte as Chelsea manager last sum-
mer after spending three years at Napoli.
The 60-year-old enjoyed a tremendous start at Stamford
Bridge as Chelsea went unbeaten in 18 games.
But Sarri endured consistent criticism from a significant por-
tion of the club’s supporters throughout the campaign and suf-
fered heavy 4-0 and 6-0 defeats at Bournemouth and
Manchester City.
Chelsea, however, reached the Carabao Cup final, which
they lost on penalties to Manchester City, before finishing the
season strongly.
Sarri claimed the first major trophy of his career when
Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in Baku on Wednesday to win the
ick McCarthy has urged guess you’d take umbrage at it Richard Keogh, though, Europa League final.
the Republic of Ireland and want to do something because he’s been great coming After that game, Sarri said: “You know very well that I love
Mto make Denmark pay about it, if you could, in any in training. He’s just been him- the Premier League, the level of the competition, and I am
for their insults as the sides pre- positive way. self, a real positive person lucky because I am in Chelsea, one of the best teams in the best
pare to meet for the fifth time in “I don’t know what they around the place. championship in the world.
18 months. said – what did they say?” “Whether Eriksen is feeling “So at the moment I am happy, but of course I want to know
Ireland run out in When he was told about it because he lost and they did- if the club is happy, if we can improve.
Copenhagen on Friday evening Delaney’s comments and the n’t play very well as a team, “It’s normal I think; I have a discussion with the owner after
having taken maximum points suggestion that Ireland’s foot- I’ve no idea. Or whether he every season with every club.”
from their opening Euro 2020 ball was agricultural, McCarthy turns up and he wants to make Chelsea have been linked with their former midfielder Frank
qualifiers against Gibraltar and replied: “Well, we are from a amends for it, I haven’t got a Lampard, now the manager of Sky Bet Championship club
Georgia and leading Group D farming country, aren’t we?” clue. Derby, should Sarri leave Stamford Bridge. C
as a result. Denmark’s 5-1 demolition “I can’t affect any of those
However, they will expect a job at the Aviva Stadium came feelings.” Hazard Leads Chelsea To Victory
much sterner test at the Telia courtesy largely of a superb Ireland’s winning start to the In Europa League Final
Parken Stadium – where they hat-trick from Christian campaign in March was Eden Hazard bid a glorious farewell to Chelsea by netting a
drew 0-0 in a World Cup play- Eriksen, who is in line to play achieved without brace as Maurizio Sarri’s side roared past Arsenal to seal Europa
off showdown in November against the Republic just six Southampton striker Shane League success in Azerbaijan.
2017, prompting Danish mid- days after suffering the Long, who had to withdraw Unai Emery was looking to continue his love affair with this
fielder Thomas Delaney to heartache of Tottenham’s from the squad with a groin competition and end the Gunners’ 25-year wait for continental
liken the task of trying to break Champions League final defeat injury, and he will be missing success at the end of his maiden campaign in the dugout.
Martin O’Neill’s side down to by Liverpool in Madrid. again after suffering a ham- But Arsenal collapsed as a tepid first half made way for a
“opening a can of baked beans However, McCarthy admits string problem in training, a memorable second period at the sparsely-filled Baku Olympic
with your bare hands”. he cannot predict how that will major disappointment after Stadium, where Chelsea manager Sarri masterminded a 4-1 win
Three days later, the Danes affect the 27-year-old, nor how ending the season with four that brought his first major trophy.
trounced Ireland 5-1 to make it his players who were involved goals in seven Premier League Olivier Giroud impressively opened the scoring against his
to Russia, although a 0-0 in the Sky Bet Championship games for Southampton. former club – his 11th goal in this season’s Europa League – but
Nations League draw in Dublin and League One play-off finals But McCarthy said: “It’s a this was Hazard’s night.
in October last year saw – Aston Villa’s Glenn Whelan disappointment – I hope it It appears a case of when rather than if he swaps Stamford
Delaney describe the and Conor Hourihane and turns out not to be any sort of a Bridge for Real Madrid and the Belgian magician was never like-
Republic’s football as “primi- Charlton’s Josh Cullen were blow, of course because I’m ly to go quietly.
tive”. winners, while Derby skipper hoping we’ve got other strikers Hazard provided the assist for Pedro and soon got on the
Asked if those barbs had Richard Keogh finished on the that can do the business for us. scoresheet himself, coolly scoring from the spot before putting
stuck in the minds of his play- losing side – will respond. “But certainly, it’s a huge the game to bed by sweeping home after a stunning Alex Iwobi
ers, McCarthy replied: “It He said: “We’ll find out, and blow for him as well having strike briefly gave Arsenal hope.
would with me. We are all dif- whether playing in play-off come in and recovered from
ferent but if somebody men- finals, winning them, has a pos- injury from the last time and Chelsea rained on the Gunners’ planned parade in some style
tions it, it might just have a pos- itive effect or losing them has a then picking up an injury this as owner Roman Abramovich got to enjoy a successful end to
itive effect. negative effect. time, so I’m really disappointed a topsy-turvy season and the Hazard – and perhaps also Sarri –
“If someone insults you, I “I wouldn’t see that in for him.” C era. C