Enzo Maresca rants at Chelsea doubters after Blues Champions League comeback

Enzo Maresca voices out his frustration at Chelsea’s doubters, saying “F off to all of them”, after guiding the Blues to Champions League qualification.

Chelsea needed a final day win over Nottingham Forest to secure their return to the Champions League and they got the maximum three points. A solitary effort from Levi Colwill saw the Blues to a 1-0 win and it was a joyous mood in the London club dugout when the final whistle was blown.

Speaking after the game, Italian tactician Maresca, who guided Leicester to the Championship title in 2023-24 responded to critics who believed his young squad will not be able to deliver Champions League football.

Players of Chelsea celebrate after qualifying for the Champions League, after defeating Nottingham Forest at City Ground on May 25, 2025 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Maresca told reporters after sealing a Champions League place: “I didn’t have any doubt about the players.

“The doubt was from outside. All the ones that have the answers or the ones that have the truth, they were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough, they were waiting for Aston Villa to drop points for us to achieve the Champions League.

“They were saying that we were not able to win on this pitch because we are too young, because we are not experienced.

“Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. All the ones that have the truth and have an answer to everything. So in English, how you say? “Eff off” to all of them, because the players deserve that. The effort they have been doing is fantastic.”

Chelsea posted a new Premier League record in 2024-25 for the youngest average age of a top-flight team, at 24 years and 36 days.

Maresca added that finishing with a flourish at the City Ground was impressive: “(Manchester) City lost here, Arsenal drew here, Liverpool drew here, Chelsea won. It’s not easy. The players, they showed how good they are.

“Unfortunately we are in a business where the people judge us because of the results. And today, in case we were not able to win the game, probably all of you would judge this season a disaster. But it was not a disaster.”

Chelsea’s campaign will get even better if they are able to see off Real Betis in the Conference League final on Wednesday.