London, Chelseas coach Maurizio Sarri on Wednesday said that Belgium forward Eden Hazard, who is linked with a move to Real Madrid, would be a good fit for any team.
“I want to respect his decision. I hope that he will stay with us but we need to be ready if he decides something different,” Sarri said at a press conference ahead of the UEFA Europa League final against Arsenal on May 29 at Baku Olympic Stadium.
“Hazard is good for every team, of course,” the Italian coach added when he was asked about the Belgian star. “But he is really very good also for us,” Sarri stated.
As for the preparations for the final, he said it is not easy to get ready for such a duel after a tough season in England, reports Efe news.
“We are tired after finishing the Premier League,” Sarri said. “It’s not easy to prepare for a very important match after 62 matches, of course.”
“The players are tired mentally and physically,” the coach stated.
Meanwhile, Sarri discussed the venue of the final in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.
“The location is a big problem for our fans. It would be better in another location,” the coach said. “Probably the situation will be the same for both teams, but for everybody it is better to play with 30,000 fans of Chelsea and 30,000 fans of Arsenal.”
“It’s better for everybody to have the fans with the team,” he added.
The Italian coach was “optimistic” that midfielder N’Golo Kanté could take part in the Europa League finals as “he is the only injured player who can recover in time,” Sarri said.
There are other Chelsea sidelined players who will miss the encounter vs Arsenal according to the coach, including defender Antonio Rudiger, forward Callum Hudson-Odoi and midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Regarding the media reports suggesting his sacking, Sarri explained that he prefers to remain focused on the EL final at the moment, and then he would speak with the club about the future, saying that he would like to stay in England.
“I have contract for two more years. I like Premier League very much. At the moment it’s the most important championship I think,” he said. “It’s very exciting to be here, but now it’s time to think only about the final.”
