Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, is calling for patience from fans as he prepares to face the daunting task of turning around the club’s fortunes. After a string of underwhelming seasons, Chelsea finished sixth last season and 12th in the 2022-23 campaign. The Italian, who guided Leicester City to the English Championship title in his first season as manager, took the reins at Stamford Bridge in June.
Maresca, previously an assistant manager under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, acknowledges the gap between Chelsea and the league’s top teams. He believes that with time, the team can bridge the gap and return to challenging for trophies. Chelsea’s ambition was evident in the summer transfer window, with the club spending a whopping 160 million pounds ($206.50 million) on new signings including Portuguese winger Pedro Neto, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Swedish-Danish goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
“We are going to try and do our best to win games,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “The big difference between us, in this moment, and other teams is that it is just a matter of time. Some clubs work with a manager for eight years, so with time we will close the gap and hopefully that can happen soon. Sometimes it (time) sounds like an excuse from managers and I know the timing in football is difficult, but in our case with the process and ideas we will close the gap. We need their (fans) support because when you are on the pitch and you can hear the fans behind the team it is like 12 players. If they support us and be patient then we will pay them back with performance and results.”
However, Maresca faces a challenge in his first Premier League game, as Chelsea will be without captain Reece James, who has sustained a hamstring injury. He also confirmed that midfielder Conor Gallagher is training separately and will not be available for the clash against reigning champion Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Gallagher’s potential move to LaLiga club Atletico Madrid has been put on hold, with Maresca stating that he is working with the club to find a solution.
Chelsea fans will be hoping that Maresca’s vision and the new signings can bring back the success the club has enjoyed in the past, but the journey to achieve those goals is likely to take time. The first test against Manchester City will be a tough one, but it will provide a clear indication of the work that lies ahead for the new manager.
