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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
SIMON JOHNSON

Ask Gianfranco Zola! Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri reveals Roman Abramovich speaks to his assistant more

Maurizio Sarri has revealed that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich talks to assistant Gianfranco Zola about club matters more than him.

Sarri, who joined as manager last July, made the Chelsea legend part of his backroom staff after replacing Antonio Conte at the helm.

Abramovich has not attended a game all season, which has only increased speculation over his commitment to the Blues as well as whether the multi-billionaire likes the job Sarri is doing.

But the 60-year-old isn’t concerned and said: “He (Abramovich) has some problems now, but he is involved with the club, with the team.

“How much contact do I have with him? (He speaks to) Zola more than me because Zola speaks English better than me, of course.

(AFP/Getty Images)

“He is the owner, and so he is able to influence the technical staff, the club, the players, everything I think.

“Also in Naples (where Sarri was coach of Napoli), the president Aurelio (De Laurentiis) wasn't in the training ground every day.

"He was in the training ground once a month, no more. So it's really very similar.”

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