It’s certainly been an interesting first year for Enzo Maresca in charge of Chelsea, and he will be delighted with how the season finished.
Even though the Blues are involved in the Club World Cup tournament this summer, it’s a good time to reflect on how their 2024/25 campaign has gone.
Enzo Maresca, 45, lifted a trophy during his first year at Stamford Bridge following Chelsea’s victory against Real Betis in the Conference League final. In addition, his team achieved a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Chelsea’s owners are very happy with Maresca and the job he’s doing so far since he left Leicester City last summer to become the Blues head coach.
Paul Scholes applauds Enzo Maresca for his first year at Chelsea
According to Premier League icon Paul Scholes, the Chelsea manager has done a great job in his first season at the club.
When discussing Italian coach Maresca, Scholes told The Overlap: “The manager has done great, really, when you think about it. I was sat here last year saying he could be the first one to go. It was such a mess. For him to get them to finish fourth and win that (Conference League) was brilliant.”
It’s fair to say that it’s not been faultless during the season, particularly around the festive schedule when the team’s results dropped. Meanwhile, Alan Pardew has criticised Maresca for the style of play he’s implemented, where Chelsea often keep possession without too much penetration.
However, the Blues really pulled their sleeves up in the final month to qualify for the Champions League and to win the Conference League. In fact, they won five of their remaining five league matches to clinch fourth spot.
Jermaine Pennant is delighted Chelsea will stick with Maresca because it can take time for managers to really make their mark.
In fairness, Maresca has given himself a great foundation in his first year to build on moving forward.
Enzo Maresca is a huge influence in the Chelsea dressing room
It’s interesting that there are now several stories emerging about Maresca’s positive influence inside Chelsea, which is something that should encourage the supporters.
According to The Athletic, Maresca led a significant half-time team talk in the Conference League final when his team were trailing 1-0. Afterwards, the players responded by winning the game 4-1 against Real Betis as they were lifted by the rallying cry from the manager.
Blues youngster Josh Acheampong raved about Maresca because he’s a no-nonsense coach who is very straight with his players.
It’s taken a little bit of time for Maresca to win the supporters around, but little by little he may be making progress. Let’s hope that the team starts next season with a bit of momentum!
