Chelsea Coach Maresca Welcomes Pressure as Team Fights for Champions League Spot
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has said he welcomes the pressure of needing to win their final two Premier League matches to secure a place in next season’s Champions League. The Blues currently sit fifth in the league, a position that would return them to Europe’s top competition after a two-year absence.
However, Chelsea’s hold on the fifth spot is precarious, as they lead Aston Villa only on goal difference and have just a one-point advantage over Nottingham Forest, whom they face on the last day of the season.
Maresca’s side started the campaign strongly, with early wins pushing them near the top of the table. But a challenging run of just five wins in 16 games from December to April put their Champions League hopes at risk. Despite this, Chelsea have reached the Europa Conference League final, where they will meet Real Betis on May 28.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming home match against Manchester United, Maresca said, “The pressure is for all of us. It’s for the club because we said since day one we must bring this club where it has to be – top four, top five, the Champions League.”
He added that if someone had told the team at the start of the season they’d need to win the last two games to qualify, they would be happy with that. “We were even better in the first five or six months, when we were second and third, so now we are there, and we will try to finish well.”
Chelsea’s challenge has been made tougher after Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson was sent off in a 2-0 loss to Newcastle last weekend. Jackson will miss the remaining Premier League matches. With Christopher Nkunku sidelined by injury and Marc Guiu lacking match fitness, Maresca has limited options up front.
He explained that playing wingers Pedro Neto or Tyrique George as central forwards is not ideal against teams like Manchester United, who use a 3-4-3 defensive setup. “Against a line of five, I prefer a real nine because you need to attack in behind and have a threat. We don’t have one, so we need to find a different solution,” Maresca said.
He added that a “fake nine” can work better against a defensive line of four, as it allows more link-up play, but this season, they must adapt to what they have.
Despite the pressures and injuries, Maresca remains focused on guiding Chelsea to a successful finish in both the Premier League and Europa Conference League.
