“We belong to the Conference League” – Enzo Maresca has bizarre claim for Chelsea
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca bizarrely claimed that the club belongs to the UEFA Conferenence League, and deserves to play in it.
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Enzo Maresca shockingly stated that Chelsea belong to the UEFA Conference League. (via Sky Sports)
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s bizarre statement on the Blues participation in the UEFA Conference League left fans bewildered. The 44-year-old manager surprisingly claimed that the club belongs to the UECL, and has a team that can fare well in it only.
The Blues have been dominating the Conference League this season, after having missed out on both the UCL and the UEL qualification spots for the 2024-25 season. Given the level of opposition in the third-tier European club competition, Chelsea are favorites to lift the title, with the only competition coming from 2023-24 finalists Fiorentina and Real Betis.
However, Chelsea have started the season on a strong note and are on top of the table, with two wins out of two, against Gent and Panathinaikos.
Despite their increased dominance in the competition, the club has faced criticism for not living up to the standards, in spite of spending millions on transfers. Addressing these questions, new manager Enzo Maresca surprisingly asserted that the Blues play in the UECL because they belong to the competition, and that they deserve to play in it.
Moreover, he highlighted the club’s ambition to play in the Champions League by the next few years, adding that the Blues would be more deserving to play in it by then.
If we are a Champions League club, why are we in the Conference League? It’s because at this moment we belong to the Conference League.
Enzo Maresca to reporters (H/T EuroSport)
Enzo Maresca responds to a Greek reporter’s claim that @ChelseaFC are “definitely not a Conference League team” ?
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) October 24, 2024
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This is not the first time that the Italian manager has described his team in such a manner, having previously stated that Chelsea are not title contenders and cannot compete with the other EPL giants. He has urged fans and the management to allow him to improve the team, slowly over time.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca criticizes club captain Reece James
Blues manager Enzo Maresca criticized club captain Reece James, demanding more effort and leadership from him after an erratic display during a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool. The right-back, most recently, made his return from an injury that he sustained in December last year.
Speaking to reporters, the former Leicester City boss, who arrived at the Stamford Bridge this summer, urged his skipper to display a greater personality. He stated that he demanded more leadership inside the dressing room from James, while also exclaiming that the team expects more from him because of his roots with the Chelsea academy.
I spoke with him and I expect from him more in terms of leadership inside the changing room. He’s on the way, he’s doing well, he’s progressing but I expect more.
Enzo Maresca on Reece James (H/T BBC)
It will be interesting to see how well the Chelsea skipper fares during the club’s two upcoming matches against Newcastle United, both in the EPL and the EFL Cup, followed by a tough encounter against Manchester United.
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Siddhartha Roy
(700 Articles Published)