Maurizio Sarri's start in the English Premier League continues to be marked by victories - the London Chelsea team led by the coach won the first derby of the season.
At Stamford Bridge stadium, Chelsea defeated London Arsenal 3:2 after a productive battle. The Blues were leading 2:0, but an unsuccessful end to the first half brought hope to the home team.
After the match, M. Sarri emphasized that he was satisfied with the first 75 minutes of the game, but would have preferred to spend the remaining 15 minutes somewhere out of bounds with a cigarette in hand.
"I enjoyed the game for 75 minutes, which I can't say about the remaining 15. I would have been better off smoking during that time. Nevertheless, I think it was a wonderful derby for both us and the fans," Sarri said.
"From the 30th to the 45th minute, we played very poorly. We lost concentration, couldn't regain possession of the ball quickly, and were punished with two goals because of it. However, the players showed their character in the second half and at the end of the game we proved that we are stronger," Sarri added.
Marcos Alonso scored the winning goal of the game, but according to Sarri, Eden Hazard contributed the most. Sarri believes that Hazard is still not ready to play 90 minutes.
"Eden is a fantastic player, but he is not yet ready to play a full game. On Friday, I decided it would be better to bring him onto the field in the second half when the game intensity had dropped," the coach added.
Sarri celebrating with his cigarettes #CFC #CHEARS #PL pic.twitter.com/X9Y8fVjkUF
— The Blues (@TheBlues___) August 18, 2018
