Sarri has blunt message for Loftus-Cheek

Maurizio Sarri has told Ruben Loftus-Cheek he will have to get used to the pressure involved in trying to establish himself at Chelsea.

Much rests on the shoulders of the midfielder, with many fans keen to see a youth product finally become a first-team regular.

But boss Sarri said: “The pressure is normal for a player at a high level. He needs to get used to the pressure.

“It’s normal for a player at a high level to have pressure from the club, from newspapers, from television and from the manager.”

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Sarri indicated that Loftus-Cheek will get a chance to impress in the Europa League game against MOL Vidi.

“Maybe tomorrow it’s time to see Loftus,” Sarri said.

“He was unlucky in the last three weeks. After the match with the national team he had a problem but in the last five or six days he has been better, so I think he is able to play tomorrow.

“Of course tomorrow we need to change some players because we have spent a lot of mental and physical energy in two matches against Liverpool and then after this match we have to play again in 62 hours.”