By Milcah Tanimu
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has addressed the compliments from veteran Italian football manager Carlo Ancelotti with a measured response. Ancelotti, who coached Maresca at Juventus, praised the Chelsea boss’s managerial skills ahead of Real Madrid’s final preseason match against the Premier League club in the United States.
Ancelotti highlighted Maresca’s knowledge and potential to succeed at Stamford Bridge, but also urged Chelsea’s management and fans to be patient. In response, Maresca emphasized the need for time to fully implement his strategies and cautioned against premature judgments of his performance.
“I appreciate Carlo’s words; I worked under him, and his career is something unbelievable. It’s not something you make in two days; this is not PlayStation,” Maresca said. “No, you cannot think after two weeks, three weeks that it will all work.”
Maresca also discussed the issue of guaranteed starters, particularly amid Conor Gallagher’s potential exit from the club. He stressed that every player must compete for their place and rejected the notion of labeling anyone as a guaranteed starter, calling it disrespectful to the rest of the squad.
“No one is a starter. They have to work day by day and convince me they have to play,” Maresca told reporters. “I am convinced everyone is a squad player. I think it’s wrong to say Conor, or Enzo [Fernandez], or Moi [Caicedo], is a starter. It’s disrespectful to the other players. They are all squad.”
Chelsea will face Real Madrid in a preseason friendly in Charlotte, United States, at 00:00 BST tonight. On Sunday, they will take on Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge in their final friendly match before the 2024-2025 season.
