Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola believes that Maurizio Sarri’s struggles to Chelsea is similar to Pep Guardiola’s struggles during his first spell at Manchester City.

Chelsea have suffered a massive dip in form recently and have fallen to 6th in the Premier League table.  The Blues are on the brink of missing out on a Champions League spot for the second season in a row.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has defended, saying that the Italian needs time to settle down. During his first season at Manchester City, Guardiola did not win any trophies although he took City to the Champions League.

Gianfranco Zola believes that Sarri is facing the same thing Guardiola faced during his first season as Manchester City manager. Zola said, “How do you know that we are not making changes? We are adjusting a few things but without changing where we want to go. The direction is always the same. Two years ago you were probably asking the same questions to Pep Guardiola. I do remember you asking him, ‘is that the case that you keep playing from the back?’

And I remember the answers of Pep, saying, ‘this is not in discussion, this is part of my game, I know I am going through this difficult moment, and I don’t change it’.

Maybe he has adapted. He has improved a lot, Pep, because he’s got his team defending better, he’s got his team pressing better and attacking better. So he has adapted something but he hasn’t changed his way to see football.

I think we are pretty much in a similar moment, where there are a lot of questions and doubts about what we do, but again we are trying to adapt to the league and make some changes. But we don’t change the way we see football and what is good for this club, because otherwise we are nothing.”

Chelsea play Manchester United today at Stamford Bridge. The reigning FA Cup will hope to beat Manchester United and keep their title defense hopes alive.

 

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