Enzo Maresca Pledges Aggressive, Entertaining Football At Chelsea

Enzo Maresca has called on Chelsea's supporters to trust his vision and promised an exciting, aggressive style of play at Stamford Bridge. Maresca, who led Leicester City to the Championship title last season, moved to West London following Mauricio Pochettino's unexpected departure.

Maresca's Leicester team was known for its progressive football, ranking second in the Championship for possession share (62.3%) and successful passes (25,248) last season. They also led the league in expected goals (85.8 xG). On Monday, Maresca gave his first interview with Chelsea's website and committed to bringing entertainment to Stamford Bridge.

"We are going to try to be an aggressive team on the ball and off the ball and we need to create this connection between the fans and the club," he said. "When you have your own fans behind the team pushing, it's like playing with 12 players and this is what we have to create here."

Pochettino guided Chelsea to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League during his only season in charge. He also oversaw their penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in February's EFL Cup final. Despite improvements in the latter half of 2023-24, Pochettino struggled to win over Chelsea's fanbase after Todd Boehly's regime spent around £390 million (€464 million) before the season began.

Maresca acknowledged that managing any club comes with challenges but expressed optimism about enjoying the journey with Chelsea. "Trust the process, trust the idea, be behind the team. For sure we are going to enjoy the journey," he stated.

Upcoming Fixtures

Chelsea will kick off their 2024-25 Premier League campaign against champions Manchester City on August 18. They will then travel to Wolves and host Crystal Palace before the season's first international break.

Maresca emphasised that creating a strong bond between fans and players is crucial for success. "Like at every club, for every manager, it will not be easy because nothing is easy. But for sure we are going to enjoy our journey," he reiterated.

The new manager aims to instil an enterprising style of play at Stamford Bridge, hoping it will resonate with Chelsea supporters and bring them closer together.