Enzo Maresca: We'll do everything possible to secure Champions League football
01 Apr 2025
Enzo Maresca feels good heading into the final nine games of the Premier League campaign and says the Blues will do 'everything in our hands possible' to secure Champions League football next season.
The Blues will have enjoyed an 18-day break between our last match against Arsenal and our next contest against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur by the time Thursday's clash at Stamford Bridge comes around.
While some of the players were away representing their countries, Maresca gave the rest of his squad time to recover before they returned to Cobham, and the majority of our internationals returned in the latter stages of last week.
The Italian described the international break as 'very good' and said it was a time where they could 'focus on some specific work' with those who remained at our training base.
Thursday will be our 30th Premier League match of the season and with nine games to go, the Blues are currently fourth in the table, five points below Nottingham Forest in third and one above fifth-place Manchester City.
Maresca said: 'I feel good. I know when you are Chelsea head coach you have to win games, no matter if [the team is] young or old. You have to win games.
'Since I joined this club, I have been convinced this squad is good enough to compete and win games and I don’t have any doubts that game after game, month after month, and season after season, we will be better and better and better, and we can close that gap that is between us and one or two more Premier League clubs.'
Maresca enjoyed a great start to life at Chelsea following his arrival from Leicester City, and on December 22 the Blues could have gone top of the Premier League table with victory over Everton.
But a poor spell of form, which has coincided with several players being sidelined, saw us slip down the table. However, our 1-0 defeat to Arsenal last time out did come after a run of four consecutive wins in all competitions following victories over Leicester, Southampton and Copenhagen twice.
Asked to analyse the season so far, Maresca replied: 'In my personal opinion, I can see a team that is improving a lot since day one. It’s very clear what we want to do on and off the ball, [while] for sure in some games we could do better.
'The reason why we had a bad moment in the season is we had six or seven injuries, and this isn’t just for us, other clubs who’ve had six or seven injuries, they drop something.
'So when you have all the players, we showed for six or seven months that with all the squad we were there to compete, then we lost six or seven players and dropped. So now they are coming back and hopefully we can finish in the right way.'
Influential duo Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana have only featured twice in the Premier League since early December due to injuries, while first-team regulars Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson have also been sidelined of late, along with talented young striker Marc Guiu.
Cole Palmer - who missed the Arsenal game and England's two World Cup qualifiers - plus Madueke and Jackson have all continued their recoveries from injury in the last week and have been pictured training at Cobham, while Fofana and Lavia both featured in the match with the Gunners.
While our results have dipped in recent months, Maresca has continually reiterated that suffering defeats and adversity will benefit his ever-improving squad - the youngest in the Premier League - in the long run.
'Personally, I am convinced we’re a better team than two months ago,' Maresca began. 'The reason why is that you need to go through this kind of [difficult] moment. With the amount of injuries we had, my duty was to try to find solutions and we tried to move players, change positions, and try to find different solutions.
'We are there [in the top four] – and we have been there all season – so it’s our duty to try to finish there. And as I’ve said, this club belongs in the Champions League so we have to do everything in our hands possible to bring the club there.'
As Maresca and the rest of his squad were working hard at Cobham, several Blues were making their mark on the international stage.
Reece James scored one of the best goals Wembley Stadium has seen in a long time, curling in a 25-yard free-kick during his first England start in two-and-a-half years, and Enzo Fernandez bagged one and expertly created another during Argentina's 4-1 win over rivals Brazil.
Pedro Neto banked another 90 minutes and Marc Cucurella featured for 210 minutes as Spain needed extra-time and penalties in their Nations League double-header with the Netherlands to join Portugal in progressing to the semi-finals.
'Both [James and Fernandez] scored good goals, and there were good wins for both countries,' Maresca said.
'Even for the rest, even if they didn’t score, I think it was a good international break for most of them. Portugal were good, Spain were good [for example], so overall it was a good international break for our players.'
All eyes are back on the Premier League and another London derby on Thursday, though, as Spurs visit Stamford Bridge after suffering a memorable 4-3 defeat in the reverse fixture back in December.
Ange Postecoglou's side are currently 14th in the Premier League table and 15 points below us but Maresca has no doubts it will be another tough clash with our London rivals.
Maresca said: 'I think the next one will be a different game compared to the previous game, because every game is different.
'In the first game, we didn’t start in the perfect way as we conceded two goals, but the team was always there in the game and in the end we won. I think this one will be different, it’s a derby so will be difficult, but we have nine games to go and we need to win as many as we can.'
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以下內容出自 football.london：
Every word Enzo Maresca said on Lavia injury, why he cancelled Chelsea day off, Palmer fitness
By Bobby Vincent, Chelsea Writer - 10:54, 2 APR 2025
Enzo Maresca has just conducted his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's Premier League showdown with Tottenham on Thursday evening.
The Blues head coach previewed Thursday night's clash with Spurs where he gave updates on the likes of Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Romeo Lavia. That, and much more, in the transcript below...
．How is Cole Palmer? Is he fit to play?
"Yeah, Cole is back, he's okay, he's better, Noni is better, Nico is better, and yeah, they are all good."
．How good to have that trio of excellent attacking players back in this game?
"Absolutely, very good. We said many times that at the end it's a game for players and when they are not there for different reasons, you struggle. This is exactly what happened with us this season, where we had five or six unbelievable months and then six or seven injuries in a row and we lost something, but now it's good to finish with a lot of them."
．Obviously Cole didn't play for England, do you think that was good for him too?
"No, the reason why he was not with the international team is because unfortunately for us the day before Arsenal he had a muscle problem, that was not a big issue, but it doesn't allow him to play in an Arsenal game and to join the international team. We always said that going with the international team is the best thing for a player, but overall I think some days off for Cole but also for the rest I think was a good one."
．We were reading reports last week that you were so unhappy with some of the training here on Wednesday that you cancelled the players' day off on Thursday, is that right?
"Yes, but it's nothing. Since I joined the club I always demand for high standards. International break, no official game, not many players here. The day after off, sometimes it's normal to be a little bit relaxed, but because I don't allow this we decide the day after to train, but it's nothing, nothing strange or nothing new.
"As I said, international break, not official game, not many players here. They are training here every day, every day, every day without any official game and then we play just a game between us and second team and we decide that, we take that decision."
．With nine games left, how important is it that the players now give absolutely everything over the remaining months of the season?
"No, yeah, but since day one they are giving everything, fantastic. The attitude, the behaviour has always been top, every game, every game, every day. Even in the last three, four days, in the last week, because they know how important it is from now on, even if I think this already starts from four, five games, in the last 12, 13, 14 games.
"Every game becomes important and now, as you said, we have nine games to go and hopefully we can finish where we are at this moment."
．Chelsea vs Tottenham is a massive London derby, there have been some excellent games over the years. In the context of Chelsea's situation at the moment, how big is this game?
"It's a huge game, it's big. We know how important it is for the fans, for the club, but in this moment it's also important for us to finish, as I said, to try to finish where we are now. That is a huge achievement in this moment for us."
．Enzo Fernandes was away with Argentina, he did really well in that game against Brazil, he scores and assists as well. How important is Enzo going to be in the final weeks of the season?
"Enzo, I said already last week, since we started, he's improving a lot, he's understanding the game much, much better. At the beginning he struggled in the derby, now he's always doing the right things, he's always in the right position and the reason why he's scoring goals and assists is because most of the time he's in the right position, even with the international team. He was in the right position, he was inside the box, so I'm happy for Enzo."
．There's been speculation about Jadon Sancho's future and his contract here and his loan, do you want to sign him permanently or is he going to be going back to United?
"All the players that are with us, I love all of them, but in this moment it's the moment to finish well and then it's not the moment to think about next season. I'm completely focused about nine games, two months to go, I'm completely focused about that. Then what happens in summer, we'll see. But all the ones that are here, I want them happy to be here."
．What do you feel Tottenham's biggest strengths are and what do you feel their biggest weaknesses are?
"I think for part of the season they had many injuries also, so it's not easy to deal with that. As I said, important players out, so it's not easy to deal with that. Then for more things, I don't know, you have to be inside, you have to live the moment, you have to live in the changing room in the games. So I'm not able to give you more reasons, for sure the injuries that they had has been an important part."
．In terms of that last game, the one that ended 4-3 to Chelsea, what do you feel Chelsea can do this time around to have more control of the game?
"I think a part of the two goals that we conceded, unfortunately, in the first shoot, is unfortunately a mistake. I think overall we played a good game, since minute one until the end. Then as I said, for sure if you avoid to concede those two goals it can be even better, but overall I think we did a good game then."
．Chelsea's record against Spurs is incredible, I think they've got the most wins against Tottenham than any other opponent. In terms of what you want to achieve for the finale of the season, getting that Champions League spot, how much would getting a win over a London rival in a derby, how much would that really help boost the confidence of your players?
"From that win probably you can build momentum until the end, but from now on they are all important games and they are all with three points, so we need to win as much as we can in terms of numbers of games and then we'll see where we finish."
．What's your message to Sancho?
"To be honest, probably you have more news than me in terms of Jadon. For me, Jadon's situation doesn't change, he's exactly the same. For sure, in terms of numbers, he could do better, no doubt, but it's not just about Jadon, I think we have more players in the same situation. Now, I don't need to give a Jadon message because I speak with Jadon every day, I had a conversation yesterday with him. He has just to continue to give his best until the end and this is what we want from Jadon."
．Do you think Chelsea will be able to play quicker with the returning players?
"I've said many times, no matter who is playing, we want to be direct and quick when they press higher, but we cannot be direct and quick when they sit back. Probably the last game at home, if you review Leicester, West Ham, Wolves, Southampton, if you have a reminder of that game, there are all games where 11 players were behind the ball, almost at the edge of the box.
"It's impossible to attack quick. Now, against a team that they press higher, you can attack more quick for sure. But it's easier when you have players who are running behind, maybe the players you've had before in that period, they don't really like running behind, they like balls to feet.
"For skills, for character, for sure when you have players that they love to run behind more, it's more easy. But even when you have that and teams sit back, it's complicated. There is no space to attack in behind."
．Reece James, you've been telling us all season his comeback has to be managed, he has to spend time in and out of the team, even when he's been playing well. How far along the process is he? Are we getting to a point where he will just be able to play every week or are you still thinking that he needs time?
"No, I still think that we need to manage Reece. The reason why is because his history probably better than me, because you are here for longer than me. And you know that he's a player that you need to be careful with him in this moment. And we want him fit until the end. So the idea is to try to manage him until the end and then we'll see in the future if we can go every day, every day, every day.
"But in this moment I think, because we need Reece until the end, we try to manage him and probably we are going to do exactly the same until the end."
．Is he still young enough do you think that he can get back to his very best?
"Yes, Reece in another team is very, very young. In our team probably he's a bit old, but he's still very, very young. I think Reece is 25, 26. He's top age."
．How is Romeo Lavia at the moment?
"He was doing better in terms of progress, but unfortunately one day ago he had again a small problem. So we're going to see in the next hours."
．How important is qualifying for the Champions League for the growth of these young players?
"It's an important part and the reason why is because also they can, you know, if you are able to finish top four, top five, first of all it's fantastic for the fans, for the club because we bring this club where this club has been always there. But for the players it's also important because they can realise the work that they have done and they can build from them something for the future."
🚨 Every word Enzo Maresca just said on Chelsea's returning players, another Romeo Lavia setback, Jadon Sancho future, why he cancelled players' day off + much more. #CFC ⬇️ https://t.co/yiHvzHROCf
— Bobby Vincent (@BobbyVincentFL) April 2, 2025
Maresca has updated on the fitness of Palmer, Jackson and Madueke ahead of #CHETOT. 📋
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 2, 2025
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