Despite only picking up a point at Brentford and losing 3-1 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Enzo Maresca believes his squad has grown in stature over the past year and can cope with the challenges ahead.
“When I joined the club I knew it was a very good squad but I didn’t know it inside,” he tells Sky Sports. “We needed to build a culture. What we have done in one season has been very important in what we have achieved on the pitch with results and the way we play, but I’m very happy at what we have created at the club in terms of culture; the togetherness and the effort.
- Transfer Centre LIVE! | Chelsea news & transfers🔵
- Got Sky? Watch Manchester United vs Chelsea on the Sky Sports app📱
- Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contract📺
“In terms of effort and togetherness, if you can do that on the pitch then, as a consequence, outside of the pitch you create an alchemy between the players where they try to help each other. When I joined the club that is something I realised we needed to build.”
The step up in difficulty that Europe’s premier club competition represents after the relative stroll to the Europa Conference League trophy last season is clear. Just how well-equipped Chelsea are for the 2025-26 season is something we explore further at the club’s training ground on Friday morning ahead of Saturday evening’s clash at Manchester United, live on Sky Sports.
“The mentality and the ability are good, and so is the personality of the team,” Maresca continues. “I think between us and them [Bayern Munich] there are five or six years difference in average age. We had eight or nine players involved in their first Champions League game, so the personality of the team to go there, to start the way we did and then again in the second half was very good. We can be happy about different things but, for sure, we are not happy about the result.”
Cole Palmer’s involvement from the start, after his influential appearance off the bench in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Brentford was another positive aspect. Maresca does not shy away from his importance to his plans.
“We need him, no doubt, with Cole we are a better team,” he adds. “But knowing that Cole is not going to be available for the whole season, we need to find solutions and find ways to win games like we did against West Ham and Fulham. But, no doubt, we need Cole. He’s growing a lot, especially in terms of personality. I’m not saying he is one of the leaders, but he’s growing in that aspect.”
And in that part of Palmer’s development, perhaps he has a role to play in helping those who are hoping to make a similar impact one day. Estevao, a teenage talent with so much potential, is five years Palmer’s junior but there are similarities in their play.
“Cole can be a reference for Estevao, no doubt, because he needs to adapt and understand many things,” Maresca adds. “Cole can help do that. All the Brazilian players need to be happy, first of all, to be able to laugh. The main thing for Estevao is to enjoy his training sessions and be happy.”
Alejandro Garnacho is another who is finding his feet in a new environment. A return to Old Trafford so soon after leaving Manchester United will bring extra focus on the player. Maresca does not expect it to be an easy game for Garnacho, who trained alone at Carrington during the summer after a breakdown in his relationship with Ruben Amorim at the end of last season.
It is unlikely Garnacho will be among the starters at Old Trafford, but for Maresca it is about balancing the strengths of his squad to get that first win from a testing trio of away trips.
“We have shown already that we can adapt to different types of games,” he concluded. “For sure, when there are three games in a row away like this it’s always difficult. Today’s session is just a recovery session and we will play tomorrow without any preparation or training.
“But it’s not only difficult for Chelsea, it’s the same for any club. We try to rotate and adapt our game to the other team. The main idea is to have control and dominate the game on and off the ball. If you keep the ball in the right way but are not able to defend, then something is wrong. When we are attacking we try to be prepared to defend and also we try to be aggressive to recover the ball as soon as possible.”
A hint, there, that Chelsea intend to be on the front foot from the start. Without time to prepare his players in the way he would like after the midweek trip to Germany, the strength and flexibility of Maresca’s squad will be tested once more.
