Maurizio Sarri’s Verdict on Kante, Giroud and Hazard
Chelsea new manager, Maurizio Sarri could be without three of his World Cup star players in the Blues’ first Premier League match opener of the season against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Only recently did World Cup stars N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud returned to Stamford Bridge and has only had limited time to work with the new manager, who succeeded Antonio Conte with the Blues. Most of the football predictions can’t see anything else than N’Golo being one of the leading players of Chelsea this season.
Also in the list is Belgium silver ball winner, Eden Hazard could be missing the season opener after being given some time off for helping the Belgian Reds to the semi-finals and third place at Russia 2018.
However, Sarri was asked about his goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who skipped training this week to try to force a move to Real Madrid according to the reports currently going on in the media.
All three players(Giroud, Kante and Hazard) came off the bench in the second half of the 0-0 draw against Lyon in the International Champions Cup on Tuesday, but the Blues’ coach thinks its too early for them to participate in any competitive game.
"They arrived yesterday or the day before," the 59-year-old manager said via Goal to the reporters after his team won the penalty shoot-out in a 5-4 win against Lyon.
"It was better for them to play 25 minutes than to have a training session alone with the physical coach. They have to work, obviously.
"I'm very happy. I can work with all my players for the first time tomorrow, so we have only three days to prepare for the next match. And the next match will be very important. Very, very, very important."
Yes, I think so. Especially altogether." Sarri said when asked if it will be hard for the three players in facing Huddersfield on Saturday.
With Kante growing to become a doubt in the midfield for the club’s opener, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is set to take over from him should the Frenchman not feature in the first game.
Speaking on Cheek future, Sarri said: "He's potentially a great player, he has to improve from the tactical point of view. "But I think that's not a problem. He's very young. I think he can be a very beautiful player for us."
Maurizio Sarri on bringing Chelsea back to their top form claims it could take two to three months. "I think that we have to work," Sarri added. "But we started to work, to work two days ago. "But I think, potentially, we can become in two or three months a very good team."
It takes hard work and time, everyone knows that but is the Chelsea board willing to wait that for a manager?