Under-pressure manager buys himself more time with passage through to the last 16 of the Europa League
After the tumultuous week he has endured, you cannot blame Maurizio Sarri for taking just about anything right now. Three days on from his side’s meek surrender in the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Manchester United, the embattled Chelsea manager arrived here knowing that anything less than a smooth progression to the last 16 of Europe’s secondary club competition was likely to spell the end of his reign.
That scenario, at least, was averted as second-half goals from Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley and Callum Hudson‑Odoi eased Chelsea’s passage through the Europa Cup against opponents who never gave up hope that they might rescue something from this tie. But with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City up next in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday – a fortnight on from their 6-0 destruction of Chelsea in the Premier League – and with Tottenham following on Wednesday, Sarri will know there are far greater tests to come before he is safely out of the woods.
Related: Callum Hudson-Odoi seals comfortable win for Chelsea over Malmö
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