Enzo Maresca has insists that his first season at Chelsea has not been a failure despite criticism from fans about the Italian’s conservative tactics in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
Chelsea currently occupy the sixth spot and with just five teams set to qualify for the Champions League, the London club need to register good result in their final five matches. With just six wins in their last 17 league games , Maresca’s team face a huge test against Everton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
With the pressure now piling up on Maresca, the former Leicester manager is adamant he deserves respect for his work at Chelsea, who finished sixth under his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino last term.
Enzo Maresca during a press conference at Chelsea Training Ground. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
“Compared to the last two years, the season is not a failure,” Maresca told reporters on Friday.
“How many times in the last two years have Chelsea been in the Champions League places? And this season we have been there almost all season. It’s an improvement or not? It’s already an improvement.”
Despite Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly Clearlake Capital investing over £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in new signings since buying the club in 2022, the Blues are yet to win a trophy in the post-Roman Abramovich era.
But, having been in second place and two points behind champions-elect Liverpool in December, Maresca accused the doubters of failing to recognise Chelsea’s development.
“Compared to the last two years it’s quite clear there is an improvement,” he said.
“If you want to see it, you see it. If you don’t want to see it, you don’t see it. Depends in which way you look. I see it.
“We have the obligation to bring this club to where it belongs. The results have been there. Me as a manager, the club, we all have ambition. I think we are in the right direction and hopefully we can be there very soon.”
Asked about his tense relationship with Chelsea fans, Maresca added: “I can understand. The fans are the same as when they were singing that Chelsea is back and showing that they were happy.
“Now because we are not winning the same number of games as at the beginning, they are showing they’re not happy.”
