Enzo Maresca has defended Chelsea’s style of play after facing criticism ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League clash against Copenhagen.
The Italian manager came under fire following Chelsea’s uninspiring 1-0 win over Premier League strugglers Leicester on Sunday, with fans voicing their frustration over the team’s slow build-up play and reluctance to exploit defensive weaknesses.
Despite the criticism, Maresca pointed to Chelsea’s attacking stats, noting that only league leaders Liverpool have scored more goals than the Blues’ 53 in 28 matches. This figure marks an improvement from the same point last season, with Chelsea currently sitting in fourth place.
“Football always evolves,” Maresca said ahead of their last-16 second-leg clash, where Chelsea hold a 2-1 advantage over Copenhagen.
“There are teams that press high, teams that sit back and play on the counter. Off the ball, we try to be aggressive. On the ball, we control the game and score when needed. We’re the second or third best attacking team in the league, but we can still improve.”
Maresca received a boost as Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, and Reece James all returned to training ahead of the match. Palmer, who had been unwell and missed training earlier in the week, is expected to be available despite missing a penalty against Leicester—his first career miss from the spot.
“Cole will miss more penalties in the future because he’s the one taking them. If you don’t shoot, you don’t miss,” Maresca said, backing the England forward to bounce back.
