Olivier Giroud explains why Chelsea are not scoring many goals, threatens to leave club

Chelsea striker has threatened to quit the Stamford Bridge if he does not receive more first-team opportunities and also admitted that Maurizio Sarri’s philosophy makes it harder for the team to score goals.

Giroud is the top scorer in the Europa League this season after scoring nine goals in the competition yet the Frenchman has only started seven Premier League games.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of this season but Chelsea have an option to extend his contract by a further year.

Giroud, who will start up front against Sparta Prague in the Europa League quarter-final second leg, said: ‘Trust me, I’m very frustrated when I’m not on the pitch, but I just don’t want to show it.

‘When you are a competitor, when you’ve been through difficulties all through your career, you need to keep that frustration inside you and transform it into positive energy on the pitch. That’s why I said, next year, I will need to have a more important role to play in the team.’

‘I have to meet Marina Granovskaia (club director). They must talk to me before the end of the season. With what I’ve achieved here, there is no reason they won’t give me one more year. But I need to be happy, also.’

Giroud only scored three goals before February this season and he is not the only striker to struggle at times under Sarri at Chelsea, as both Alvaro Morata and Higuain have toiled, reports The Daily Mail.

Giroud admitted that ‘Sarriball’ can leave strikers isolated and he urged Chelsea to learn from the ambition of clubs in the Champions League.

Giroud said: ‘We could be more dangerous with crosses, running behind. When you are not scoring enough goals, you point at the striker, but it’s more like having to improve in an offensive formation.

‘We are doing well in that system but if I compare with the other systems I’ve played in the past – for example with the national team – I’d rather play with a No 10 around me, with a second striker.

‘It’s not just about a system. It’s a philosophy, maybe finishing with more players in the box. I was watching Champions League and Premier League games, we need to improve in that way, finishing with more players in the box to take the chances.’