Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri will be sacked by the club’s board if and when it becomes apparent that the Blues will not qualify for the Champions League next season.

Heavy defeats against Bournemouth and Manchester City have put some serious pressure on Sarri’s position at Stamford Bridge. The 6-0 crushing at the Etihad dropped Chelsea into sixth in the Premier League table with a goal difference of just +16.

Chelsea are still in the hunt for the top four and have a second chance to force entry into next season’s Champions League by winning the Europa League, where they face Malmo at the last-32 stage.

Should the club be knocked out of the competition and continue to falter in the league, Chelsea’s board are prepared to sack Maurizio Sarri to rescue their season according to the Times.

The club’s board made it clear to the Italian when he took the job last season that his objective was to reinstate the Blues into Europe’s elite competition and Roman Abramovich will not stomach a second season outside of it.

Chelsea take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley at the end of the month but a victory in that would not save Sarri’s job if their Champions League hopes shrink.