Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has launched a brutal attack over a star Chelsea midfielder for a lack of leadership qualities.
Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea will take on the relation-threatened Cardiff City in the Premier League later today.
As the Chelsea players regrouped after a week of international break, Maurizio Sarri’s comments during the press conference did little to inspire the side.
The manager criticised Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley for a lack of leadership qualities during the conference ahead of the game against Cardiff.
The Blues are currently at sixth in the Premier League.
Sarri on Ross Barkley:
The Chelsea manager raised doubts over Ross Barkley’s personality, and stated that he can’t lead the side.
“He is not able to lead the other players,” Sarri said.
“He is a fighter. He is able to fight in every match. I think it is a question of personality. Sometimes you have a very young player with a very high level of personality.
“Sometimes they don’t. It is not easy to change. It is an individual characteristic, I think. He has improved a lot tactically. Also, physically, I think. As you know well in the last season he played only 200 minutes, so he needed to stay on the pitch.”
However, he insisted that Barkley is an improved player and continues to be a key part of the squad.
“Fortunately, now he is going very well with his leg and he improved a lot during the season — a very, very good player. I think that he improved a lot in the defensive phase because technically he was, and he is, a very good player.
“In the offensive phase, he can score seven or eight goals every season. Now I think he is also a good player in the defensive phase. He is not a defensive midfielder, of course, but he is good enough now.
“Of course, at the beginning of the season, he didn’t have big confidence because last season was really very hard for him. Then after three or four or five matches in the starting eleven, he changed. Now he is a very important player for us.”
How Twitter reacted..
Sarri on Barkley 🗣️ He’s not a leader in that way. He’s not able to lead the other players. He’s a fighter. He’s able to fight in every match. I think it’s a question of personality. Sometimes you have a young player with a very high level of personality. https://t.co/SUXp8RcPOF
— 101 Great Goals (@101greatgoals) March 31, 2019
💬Maurizio Sarri
💬At the beginning of the season, Ross Barkley had less confidence because last season was really very hard for him. Then, after three, four or five matches in the starting XI, he changed and now he’s a very important player for us.
— Chelsea Loan Army (@ChelseaLoanArmy) March 31, 2019
Ross Barkley: ‘I had a good week away with England, two positive results and I got a couple of goals, and now I’m looking forward to a strong end of the season with Chelsea. We’re looking up the table.’ #CFC
— Bridge News 📰 (@cfc_wale) March 31, 2019
What next?
Chelsea will take on Cardiff City later tonight, as they race against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Arsenal for the top four positions.
