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Chelsea vs BATE: Full transcript of Maurizio Sarri post-match conference

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Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri faced the media following the Blues' 3-1 Europa League victory over BATE and fielded several questions on man-of-the-match Reuben Loftus-Cheek

Press Officer: Ok. We are gonna try and do like yesterday. We are gonna do the press conference in English. If there is any translation required, please raise your hand if you require that. Otherwise we will try to get through as much as we can [in English].

Journalist: Maurizio, can you describe Reuben Loftus-Cheek's performance tonight?

Maurizio Sarri: He played very, very well. In the offensive phase, [he was] very wonderful. But I [still] think what I thought [about him] before [the game]. At the beginning of the season, I thought he was a really good player. Now I think the same [thing] about him. But maybe [now] he is more suited to my [style] of football. He is improving. I think also that he needs to improve in the defensive phase. But [it is] not only Loftus [-Cheek who needs to improve]. At the moment, we have four midfielders for [only] two positions. Three of them [are endowed] with the same [individual] characteristics. They are three [offensive] midfielders. Only one [of them] can play as a defensive midfielder. So it very difficult for me to put in the starting eleven two offensive midfielders at the same time. But I hope to be able to do it in the future. But [for that to happen] I need the cooperation of the players, of course. I need an improvement [from them] in the defensive phase.

Journalist: Has he given you more of a problem now? Is he more in your thoughts now than he was before the game?

Maurizio Sarri: No. I like l very much this kind of problem. [Laughs]

Journalist: Maurizio, there is an impatience amongst English football fans to see Reuben Loftus-Cheek being given regular opportunities...

Maurizio Sarri: Because he is a very good player, of course. But I have a little problem: I can put only eleven players in the starting eleven, and I have twenty eight players [in my squad]. [Maybe] I should ask [for permission from the authorities] to play with fifteen/sixteen [players]. But, as I said before, I have a little tactical problem with the midfielders because of their [individual] characteristics. We need to work. They have to improve in the defensive phase. So maybe in the future I will be able to put in the starting eleven, at the same time, Barkley and Loftus [-Cheek].

Journalist: Do you have some sympathy for him: he has been at Chelsea since he was eight-years old, and he has played only a few games [for the club]?

Maurizio Sarri: I know it. I know that the fans, not him, [are impatient for him to play] because he was in the [Chelsea] academy. So it is normal [for the fans to feel this way]. But my problem remains the same: it is very difficult to solve the tactical problem [of having two offensive players in the starting eleven] without an improvement to the defensive phase of these three midfielders. But we need to work. I need the cooperation of the players.

Press Officer: Ok. We will leave it there.

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