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Maurizio Sarri on brink of Chelsea sack but club's crisis could be about to worsen
Maurizio Sarri is on the brink of being sacked as Chelsea nervously wait to find out whether or not they will be plunged into crisis with the club’s problems extending further than the future of their head coach.
Following the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United and the Stamford Bridge revolt against Sarri, the Italian could be dismissed if Chelsea lose either of their games against Malmo in the Europa League on Thursday night or Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
But there are fears that Chelsea’s plight could be made even more difficult, regardless of who is head coach, as the club wait to find out if:
- Eden Hazard will confirm their worst fears and ask to join Real Madrid.
- Fifa will hit them with a transfer ban.
- Uefa will ban thousands of their fans in the Europa League.
- Their battle with former head coach Antonio Conte will go to court.
It is not inconceivable that the current situation could develop into one of the toughest owner Roman Abramovich has faced during his 16-year reign as rumours persist that he could look to sell the club.
Chelsea insist Abramovich remains fully committed and that Sarri’s fate will be decided by the Russian.
But he has not been seen at Stamford Bridge this season after withdrawing his application for a visa and sacrificing his right to work in the UK. And he has also not visited the training ground to speak personally with Sarri or serve up his own personal ultimatum to the squad.
Star man Hazard is expected to turn down the offer of a new contract, no matter who is manager, and push for a move to Real at the end of the season. If he goes, the Belgian would be the third star player to depart in 18 months after Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois.
An insider said: “Hazard’s future is the elephant in the room. Nobody seems to want to come out and admit he wants to leave. But it needs sorting out.”
Chelsea have already signed Christian Pulisic to join in the summer and would look to replace Hazard, but their transfer plans could be thrown into the air by Fifa.
It last month emerged Fifa have been investigating over 100 cases in which Chelsea could have broken the rules in regard to the signing of foreign players under the age of 18.
A decision is expected soon with Chelsea facing a transfer ban if they are found guilty. An appeal could delay any suspension and give the club the summer to trade in, but any future suspension will present huge issues.
Chelsea will find out their punishment for the anti-Semitic chanting in the Europa League tie against MOL Vidi on February 28.
Having charged the Blues, Uefa have the power to force them to close a section of Stamford Bridge or ban travelling supporters for a future European game.
Chelsea lead Malmo 2-1 going into Thursday night’s last-32 second leg and the competition, and the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League, are now of vital importance with a top-four place in the Premier League under threat.
Should Abramovich decide to sack Sarri, then he may have to pay-off two Italian coaches in quick succession. Conte is yet to receive any compensation for his dismissal with lawyers attempting to settle the dispute.
Unless a swift resolution can be found, then Conte has threatened to take his old employers to court before the end of the season in what could be an expensive and potentially embarrassing scenario for Abramovich.
If, as seems increasingly likely, Sarri is sacked in the near future, assistant-manager Gianfranco Zola is most likely to be asked to take caretaker charge until the end of the season.
But Chelsea, with all their potential problems, could find it hard to convince one of Europe’s top managers to succeed Sarri on a permanent basis.
A source told Telegraph Sport: “Which top manager is going to want to go anywhere near Chelsea at the moment?”
Zinedine Zidane has been linked with succeeding Sarri, but there are doubts over whether he would find the Chelsea job an attractive proposition and his command of English would have to improve dramatically.
Juventus manager Max Allegri has interested Chelsea in the past, but he is currently trying to win the Champions League with the Italian club and has also attracted interest from United and Real Madrid.
Diego Simeone has recommitted himself to Atletico Madrid, while Mauricio Pochettino signed a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur in favour of pursuing interest from the Blues last summer. The Argentine could also have Real and United fighting over him this year.
Fan favourite Frank Lampard, who is in charge at Derby County, would find it hard to turn down his old club, while Laurent Blanc would be interested.