Sports
Maurizio Sarri warns Chelsea can expect MONTHS of ‘problems with results’ as players get used to his tactics
Chelsea are in for “problems” in the early months of the Maurizio Sarri era, according to… Maurizio Sarri.
The Blues’ new manager has only been in office since early July because of the drawn-out way predecessor Antonio Conte left the club, but must take his team to Huddersfield on Saturday for their first game of the Premier League season.
Sarri reckons it could take another eight weeks for the players to get properly used to the new ideas and tactics he has had to force-feed them with over a pre-season also affected by the World Cup not ending until July 15.
Asked to clarify what form these “problems” might take, the 59-year-old former Napoli coach answered: “The results.
“The performances in the first part of the season will not be in line with the potential of the squad.”
They are brave words for a new coach of Chelsea, who has seen two of his predecessors, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Andre Villas-Boas, sacked after eight and nine months respectively by Abramovich, an owner not known for his patience.
But Sarri pointed to his late appointment and a chaotic pre-season as legitimate reasons why he should be granted time to get things right at Stamford Bridge.
The Italian said: “We are not at the top of our potential. I hope to be at the top of the potential of the squad in one or two months, but I don’t know.
“I hope that the second part of the season will be very good with a lot of points. In the first part I expect some problems on the results. Maybe the performances in the first part of the season will not be in line with the potential of the squad.
“The board know this.
“Next year, I will try and change pre-season completely — if I can. I arrived in the middle of July, so the problem was there. I had to accept it completely, but for the future, it would be better to change.”
Sarri is set to give new £71.6million world-record goalkeeping signing Kepa his debut at the John Smith’s Stadium. But his other new capture this week, on-loan Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic, is likely to have to wait.
The Italian’s style of quick-passing, high-pressure football became known as “Sarri-ball” at Napoli, where he led the club to two second place finishes in Serie A in three years.
To get that though, Chelsea fans need to be patient.
Sari said: “You have to wait for a couple of months. I don’t know exactly what Sarri-ball is. It’s not my definition.
“At Napoli, we played at great speed, moving the ball forward and back with continuity. It was fun for the supporters, and useful for results. We got 91 points last season. On 23 of the last 25 Serie A seasons, that was enough to win the championship. So it was a bit unlucky.
“I don’t know if we can play the same way in England. It depends on the characteristics of the Premier League and my players. I have to adapt myself.”
Scoring goals was a problem for Conte’s team last year – they managed only 62, the fewest among the Big Six – and they netted only three times in five warm-up games this summer.
Sarri warned his players: “The offensive phase may be a problem.
“We have to play at another speed. If we are able to do that, scoring will not be a problem. But at this speed, it may be.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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