Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso has claimed that Maurizio Sarri has not found it easy at Stamford Bridge because he was never a professional footballer himself.
The Spaniard, who made 39 appearances across all competitions this season, notching four goals and seven assists, has come in for plenty of criticism from fans this season, alongside the manager.
However, speaking to the Mirror, the defender opted to talk on the Italian's struggles in acclimatisation, declaring: “It’s never easy in the first year, to come to a new country and new league, new football, new culture. It is many different things. The gaffer is still learning, he was not a football player either so he is learning a lot this year.
“It’s not easy, of course not. We are 11 players in there. We have to all try to go in the same direction. Managers are different, they have different aspects of tactics.
"He wanted to change the team not just me. He wanted to change the way. The way we start playing.
“It is different but at the end of the day we have to be professional and take on whatever he asks us for. He is different."
Marcos Alonso continues to disappoint. He has now gone & essentially placed some blame on Maurizio Sarri for his poor season. Showing zero accountability.
— Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) May 24, 2019
Change of role or not, did Sarri ask you to cross it into the stands? Did he ask you to not try, Marcos?
Give me a break.
Part of Sarri's evolving tactics involved the dropping of Alonso in the back half of the season, though Alonso didn't seem keen to shine such a bright torch on his own performances with Chelsea, maintaining: “I started the season very well, the team also started very well playing. Then the manager asked me for something different.
"I tried to do what he was asking me to do and maybe when the team started winning games again I had a small injury in my back.
“I had to stop for a couple of games but after that I was back playing good and getting back in the team when they needed me and now a big opportunity to end the season well and go on holiday.”
Turning his attention to the Europa League final, the 28-year-old proclaimed: “I have been here two years and won a trophy each year and there is a good chance to get another one – a different one too.
“Football is so many different things over a whole season. It’s small details, it’s a whole season, so many games so many different moments. It’s not that simple. But we have worked for it.
Sanchez...Mustafi...Drinkwater...
— 90min (@90min_Football) May 27, 2019
Good luck trying to get someone to buy them! 爛 https://t.co/mFurelyjmz
“It can change very quickly. In football, one week you are the best in the world and the next week you are the worst, at the end we have qualified for the Champions League.
"We had a good end to the season and hopefully we will bring a trophy back. As a player and professional, everything we have to play for, for our families, for ourselves it’s a big game and it’s the chance we have this year to win a trophy.
“The team has worked hard for it, the team has done a great job to qualify for the Champions League. We can see how the Premier League is dominating in Europe and it’s been a tough but good year at the end and now a massive chance to win a trophy.”
Source : 90min