Maresca reacts to managing the team from the press box and 1-0 victory over Everton

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Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca reacts to managing the team from the press box and 1-0 victory over Everton  26/04/2025  Stamford Bridge, London, UK

Transcript

00:00How did you find the view from the press box?

00:15It seems like you enjoyed it, maybe you've got a good result from there.

00:19No, disaster, to be honest.

00:22Yeah, it's the worst. I prefer to be on the bench.

00:26It's the worst because you have to manage.

00:28You want to say something but nobody can hear,

00:31so you have to manage a little bit.

00:33But as you said, we win the game and we are happy.

00:37Can you tell me a bit about how you managed it?

00:39Were you passing notes?

00:40No, I was in contact with the bench.

00:44Next to me, there was a member of the coaching staff

00:49that sometimes spread the message with the ones on the bench.

00:56What did you make of the game?

00:58I felt like you played your best football for maybe 60 minutes or so for a long time,

01:02but maybe the last 30 minutes were you nervous?

01:05Yeah, I think first half we control the game, we dominate,

01:09we create chances, we didn't concede, nothing, nothing.

01:12And then second half I think we drop a little bit.

01:15It's part of the game because first game with also 20 degrees was a little bit a weird game.

01:22But the good thing was that we were strong, nasty enough when we need to be like that.

01:30So overall, I think, again, we deserve to win the game and we are happy.

01:34Can you just explain your relief that Nicolas is finally back among the goals?

01:41I mean, he looked relieved himself when celebrating.

01:43Yeah, yeah.

01:45We said many times that we don't have doubt with the ones that for part of the season

01:50they struggle a little bit like Nico, like Cole, like Robert.

01:54You know, it's the moment that you have to support them even more.

01:58Nico finally found the goal today, found the goal today,

02:01hopefully Cole soon can score goals.

02:04But I think Cole's performance today was very good,

02:06sacrifice, he was pressing well.

02:08So it's just a matter of time for all of them and for sure they're going to help us.

02:12You mentioned Robert, you know, when he makes a mistake he can get absolutely hammered.

02:17So credit where it's due, he probably won that much as much as anyone

02:21for a couple of the good serves he made.

02:23Yeah, yeah, and you can see the teammates, how they celebrate with him also at the end of the game.

02:28But you can see that the teammates, the team, they know that for Robert has not been a good moment

02:36and so they try to support him and to help him.

02:40Peter?

02:41What did you make of Romeo and Lavio's performance today in the field?

02:46I think you could see the difference he made between playing through the lines.

02:49I spent one entire season with Romeo when I was at under-23 at the season,

02:57so I know Romeo very well.

02:58Romeo is, for us it's like Rhys, they are both top players.

03:02The only shame for us is that we need, unfortunately, we need to manage them,

03:06we need to protect them, but no doubt that Chelsea with Rhys and Romeo, it's a better team.

03:13Is he quite a unique player in terms of the following group?

03:17Yeah, when he's fit, he's one of the best midfielders because he can defend very well,

03:24he can attack, he breaks the line, the pass between the line.

03:27It's unbelievable.

03:28He's very good and hopefully we can have him until the end of the season.

03:32Malik.

03:33Hi.

03:34Trevor Shalabar was excellent today, he's had a strange season given that he came back.

03:41I mean, how pleased are you that you had that chance to bring him back in January?

03:45I think Trevor since he's back with us in January, he's doing very, very well.

03:50He's playing game, he's helping us, he's defending when he needs to defend,

03:56he's also building from the back when we need him, so he's able to do that.

04:01And we are very happy with Trevor.

04:03You brought him back because you had a few injuries at that time and a lot of those players are fit again now,

04:08but he's still starting ahead of them.

04:10Has he played a bigger role than you were expecting?

04:12No.

04:13Honestly, no, because I know that he can help us.

04:18Unfortunately, Wes Fofana is the other one that is out,

04:25but for sure we were, no doubt that Trevor was helping us.

04:31Liam?

04:32Hi.

04:33So it seems like certainly for the first hour the team was recognising the right moments

04:37to attack a bit quicker, including for the goal where maybe a bit more open.

04:42Is that part of the balance that you're trying to help them find when to be patient?

04:47Yeah, we're going to be better and better because the players are going to understand better and better

04:53how to play different games.

04:55We said many times that against teams that they press higher there are more space

04:58and we can attack quick.

05:00Against teams that they defend low block it's more difficult,

05:02but we need to learn that.

05:04And for sure this is the reason why I said many times that the fans,

05:09they have to trust us because this team is going to be better and better.

05:13It's a journey, they're going to learn things.

05:15And the goal, as you said, it's easy to attack quick because it's from goal kick pressing.

05:21So in the moment that you recover the ball, the first option is always in front.

05:25And it was a good goal, yeah.

05:28Two more questions, Ryan and Rob.

05:31Enzo, obviously after the late goal against Fulham and then to win 1-0 today,

05:36what does that say about the mentality of your team?

05:38Because you're at the stage of the season now where three points is all the batters,

05:42no matter how you get them.

05:43So to grind out their results, how pleased are you with that mentality?

05:49I'm very pleased with the mentality.

05:51I think the second half against Fulham, the reaction was fantastic.

05:57For sure today also we start the game in the same way.

06:01As you said, at this stage of the season the result is important, it's the main thing.

06:07But for us also the way it's important.

06:11So we try, I think today we won the game, but for most part of the game I think was our team

06:17on the ball and off the ball.

06:19And this is in this moment also important for us.

06:23Rob.

06:24I think so.

06:25With Robert, do you think this could be the moment that turns his Chelsea career around?

06:29If it has been such a difficult few months for him,

06:33this is a really, this is a match-winning performance today.

06:36Do you think this could be the moment that we all look at or is the moment that changed everything?

06:39But Robert had already many good moments this season.

06:42Just the one that now is Tottenham, if you remember at home,

06:45we were winning 1-0 and 90 minutes he did a great save.

06:50It's normal that as a human being you always remember the bad things and not the good things.

06:59So about Robert probably we remember just the mistake,

07:03but also he had some very good moments with us.

07:07So hopefully he can continue until the end.

07:10OK, thanks guys.

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