Enzo Maresca Voices Concerns Over Unfair Expectations Following Chelsea’s Latest Victory

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed concern over the unrealistic expectations placed on his team following a tense 1-0 victory against Manchester United, which edged the Blues closer to Champions League qualification on Friday evening.

Marc Cucurella scored the decisive goal with just 20 minutes remaining, propelling Chelsea into the top four of the Premier League.

A win against Nottingham Forest on the final matchday on May 25 will ensure at least a top-five finish, securing Chelsea’s return to the Champions League after two years away from the competition.

In addition to potential league success, Maresca’s side could cap off the season with silverware if they triumph over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League.

Since an American consortium took over from Roman Abramovich, Chelsea has invested over £1 billion ($1.33 billion) in new players over the past three years.

Nonetheless, much of that expenditure has gone into acquiring promising young talent, and Maresca believes his team deserves greater understanding and patience.

“The issue is that generally, people, including the press, still think of Chelsea as the same club they were years ago. That’s not the case anymore,” Maresca stated.

“Tonight, (Nicolas) Jackson was suspended, and we had Tyrique (George) playing along with six academy graduates in the squad.”

“In the past, if (Didier) Drogba was unavailable, you would have Diego Costa or Fernando Torres to replace him. This is a totally different Chelsea.”

“I understand it may be difficult for some to recognise that, but we are moving in the right direction and I hope we can elevate the club to where it truly belongs.”