Chelsea Manager Confident in Building Project Despite Champions League Uncertainty

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca defends the club’s spending and asks fans to trust in the long-term plan at Stamford Bridge. The team is facing important final matches this season.

MARESCA’S SPENDING DEFENSE

“I don’t think since I’ve been here we’ve spent more money than other clubs, just the same money,” Maresca stated firmly ahead of Chelsea‘s penultimate Premier League fixture. Chelsea’s transfer activities have been scrutinized, but their spending matches that of their competitors, says the Italian coach, who took over as manager last summer.

Chelsea have spent huge sums on players in recent seasons, but Maresca believes their big outlay has been justified. The 44-year-old thinks their approach is sustainable and part of a coherent plan, with Chelsea chasing Champions League qualification and three points from the top four.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea’s Champions League hopes were left in the balance after last weekend’s damaging 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United, where Nicolas Jackson received a first-half red card for a reckless lunge.
Playing with 10 men for over an hour at St James’ Park, Chelsea showed resilience, but ultimately could do little to overcome Newcastle’s clinical finishing.
As a result, the Blues must now win their remaining two fixtures to guarantee a top-five finish and secure Champions League football.
They currently sit three points behind fifth-place Tottenham with a slightly inferior goal difference.

RELATIONSHIP WITH FANS

Despite Chelsea’s recent struggles, it appears Maresca is building a good relationship with the fans. “Overall, he felt like the fans are very supportive of him,” the manager recently said of the Chelsea supporters after the Newcastle match.
Maresca accepted he will always have discontent among the fan base, but he believes qualifying for Champions League football and potentially winning a trophy could ensure a happy finish to the campaign.
He explained: “They won’t be pleased every day. They won’t be pleased at times when we don’t win.
“But I think they’ll be very happy if we make the Champions League and could be very happy if we have a good night in the future.
The Italian also claimed that his background as a player at West Brom has not been held against him by Chelsea’s fanbase like Antonio Conte’s was, and his comments suggest he is working hard to gain the fans’ trust in his first season as head coach.
“I don’t feel as if that’s a major problem to be honest,” Maresca added. “I think they’ve been very fair to my team in every game, and they’ve been fair to me in every game, the home, the away supporters.”

WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Chelsea still have two must-win matches to compete in before the end of their Premier League campaign as they chase a title and hope to qualify for next season’s Champions League. The Blues must find consistency, having been labelled “one of their best 45-minute displays away from Stamford Bridge this season” in the second half against Newcastle despite being a man down.

Reports have suggested Chelsea’s hierarchy have elected to give Maresca at least two full seasons before making any judgement calls about his employment.

By doing so, the club could indicate their dedication to stability regardless of this season’s outcome.