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22 February 2019

Sarri: Hudson-Odoi Starts If Winger Sold  (Sky Sports)

Callum Hudson-OdoiChelsea must sell one of Pedro, Willian or Eden Hazard if they want to make Callum Hudson-Odoi a regular starter, says Maurizio Sarri.

Eighteen-year-old Hudson-Odoi scored his third goal of the season on Thursday as Chelsea eased into the Europa League last 16 with a 3-0 victory over Malmo in their second-leg tie at Stamford Bridge.

He has yet to start a Premier League match, despite being the subject of four bids from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in January, the last understood to be £35m, and turned down an £85,000-a-week contract offer from Chelsea.

"You need to understand in the same position we have Pedro, Willian, and [Eden] Hazard," Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri said after the win against Malmo.

"It's not easy for a young player to play with the same consistency as his team-mates.

"We are using him in the right way at the moment, of course the 20 matches this season will become 30 in the next, 40 in two years, and I think also the club has to decide because if I'm the club and I want Callum on the pitch with consistency, I have to sell another winger.

"Otherwise the manager is in trouble."

Sarri has little time to enjoy progression to the last 16 in Europe as his team are set to contest Sunday's Carabao Cup final with Manchester City attempting to avenge a 6-0 humiliation at the Etihad Stadium a fortnight ago.

Asked what will happen if his players repeat the opening half an hour of the Malmo performance against Pep Guardiola's champions, Sarri replied: "A disaster, of course.

"We are in a difficult moment. We had problems with the fans in the last match at home, so it's normal for the team to enter on to the pitch without confidence.

"Of course, to play our football we need confidence if we want to be in control of the match."



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