Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hailed his team’s competitive spirit following their 2-0 away victory over Burnley on Saturday, describing the match as challenging due to several complicating factors.
Speaking to journalists in his post-match press conference, Maresca highlighted the difficult circumstances surrounding the fixture, including its early kick-off time and the compact playing surface at Turf Moor.
“It was a tough game for many reasons: after the international break, 12 in the morning, Burnley away, a pitch with small dimensions,” said Maresca. “So, it was a very tricky game, and the way the players competed was good, with another clean sheet.”
The Italian manager was pleased with Chelsea’s defensive performance, noting that Burnley created limited clear opportunities. “They had just one good chance that was in the second half, and then we conceded some chaos inside the box, which is part of the game, but overall, we deserved to win and we are happy,” he said.
Maresca confirmed that captain Reece James’s substitution at halftime was a precautionary measure rather than injury-related. “The idea was to manage Reece. This is the reason he played 45 minutes. It was planned,” the manager explained. “I would like Reece to continue the second half, but we need to protect him.”
The Chelsea boss provided positive updates on Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández, both of whom featured in the match. “Pedro and Enzo had a good international break in terms of recovering energy and recovering from injury. The rest were all good,” Maresca said.
Maresca reserved special praise for midfielder Andrey Santos, who impressed in a deeper role. “Andrey was excellent. His position is the position he played today,” he said. “With us, most of the time, he has been playing a little bit higher, in the pocket. In that [deeper] position, we have Moi, so we try to find solutions for Andrey. We are aware his position is the one he played today.”
News.ng reports that Saturday’s victory for Chelsea puts them three points behind league leaders Arsenal, who are on a shaky 26 points.
The Blues will host Barcelona on Tuesday, November 25, in the UEFA Champions League group stage.
