Maurizio Sarri wants reaction from his Chelsea players after 6-0 loss at Man City
Wednesday 13 February 2019 19:44, UK
Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri wants to see a reaction from his players after Sunday's 6-0 loss at Manchester City.
The Blues dropped out of the top four in the Premier League after enduring their heaviest defeat in almost 28 years.
Ahead of Thursday's Europa League last-32 first leg at Malmo in Sweden, Sarri admitted his squad had endured a difficult few days after their humbling loss at the Etihad Stadium.
Sarri said: "Not too easy, of course. After a match like Manchester City it's normal.
"It's not easy to play tomorrow after 6-0 but we have to play and we have to play well.
"We want to win. We want to react immediately."
Sarri says he has not spoken to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich since the humiliating loss at City.
Sarri said in an interview with an Italian broadcaster on Sunday that he rarely speaks to Abramovich, an owner not renowned for his patience.
"No, not this week - not in the last three weeks," Sarri added. "It depends on the president, I think. I didn't say never. The interview was Italian and in Italian I am better than you.
"I'd like to speak to somebody in the club, not necessarily the owner. I usually speak with Marina (Granovskaia, the director) and for me it's enough."
A long dressing-room debrief followed the 4-0 loss at Bournemouth and another followed at Chelsea's training ground earlier this week as Sarri looks to get his side back on track.
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Sarri revealed: "We talked altogether for one hour the day after the match. It's better to work, to react on the pitch."
Sarri has rested left-back Marcos Alonso, whose form has dipped of late, while midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is out with a recurrence of his back problem.
