Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca spoke to the media ahead of this week’s big Champions League clash against Barcelona.
The Blues also have an arsenal that is rising in the Premier League, although Maresca was more determined to focus on the next game than to think before this weekend.
See below for everything Maresca had to say in his latest press conference as he discussed Barcelona, the latest on Cole Palmer’s injury, and more.
Enzo Maresca’s press conference in full
In Cole Palmer Training soon with the help of a protective button …
Well, we don’t know when, but it will definitely be soon. He’s already in the opposition, he’s already touching the ball, so I think it’s good.
On Palmer Retuning vs Arsenal…
We have tomorrow’s game, that is the Champions League game, and after that tomorrow we start thinking about Arsenal. I don’t think so at the time.
For details on Palmer’s injury recovery…
The last time I talked to Cole was at the last press conference, and the last time I talked to Cole was yesterday, right after the session, to ask how he was feeling. Again, it was a good feeling, but I didn’t ask him about the details of the injury at all.
In a big week against Barcelona and Arsenal…
A big week, as you said, but at the end of this week, then we went to that one, we know Bournemouth is far away, Atalanganta is far away, so it’s another big one. It lasts a big week, all important games, at the end of every game with three points, of course there are games like Barcelona tomorrow, but in fact the best thing for us is to win the game.
For Pedri it comes out…
Of course Barcelona is losing Pedri, not only in barring, but also in football, because of the quality of the football, which I think is amazing. Then with Enzo Fernandez, since I arrived here I have been showing him a basic and important player, at first it took him a while to understand what he was going to do, but then he became an important player for us in the field.
In breaking goals against barcelona in the super cup during his playing days…
Yes, it was an important moment, I’ve always said it’s the easiest goal of my life, given that we were winning 2-0, and the penalty was in the 96th minute, and there were six extra minutes. So that was an easy thing, a good feeling, but now it’s something completely different, it’s an incredible team, but we’ll also try our best to win the game.
In managing Barcelona one day…
You know me because you are always at the press conference, or you ask me what happens in three – four months, I always say, I don’t know, at this moment I have had the best clubs in the world, and this is the most important thing.
In lamine yamal and Estevao Willian …
Estevao is already playing at a high level, he is already in Brazil, he is definitely very young, he can definitely do a lot of things better, but we are very happy with him. For me it is better or less the same thing I said about PEDRI, it is good for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, like Pedri, this beauty, you will definitely do well.
Estevao can be, he will be sure to be an important player for this club in the future without a doubt, he should be happy, he should think about being better every day, try to work hard, improve. And for sure, he will be the best player of this club.
The threat of Robert Lewandowski…
He is certainly a very good player, he showed all his life that He does the most important thing in football, that he gets goals, we want to try every time, but Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Fermin [Lopez]Ferran [Torres]Frenkie de Jong, there are many players, but at the same time we will try and win the game..
On the high bar of Barcelona…
Yes the high line is a definite factor, but as you said I think we should also pay attention to the football, because the vision creates all the opportunities, so we need the right balance between attack and defense.
On Chelsea’s progress since losing to Bayern…
Personally I think we are a better team compared to the day we played Bayern, but every game is different, and it will be a different game, but it will be a completely different game, but personally the team is getting better every day.
In Tiki-Taka out of fashion …
I don’t know. I decide to become a manager because of PEP [Guardiola] The team, Barcelona, years ago. If clubs or teams decide on a different style. I’ve said it many times: Any team can decide how they want to play. I have chosen my past years and this will be the way I like to watch my team play football and the future. I don’t think anyone can be compared to that of Barcelona, PEP, because I think they changed football in Spain, where the whole club tried to play that way, and everyone was trying to play that way in Germany.
I think PEP came to England, and a lot of clubs tried to do the same thing with England in terms of an overseas team. I don’t think anyone can compare to PEP because I think 20-24 years ago he changed football.
To Marc Guiu…
Marc is coming on really well, he came here last season, he had a chance to play almost the whole conference scoring six goals – then unfortunately he got injured, he’s growing, he’s growing. This season was a surprise for him because he was injured and he came back last week so he started but that’s the only thing he has to do with it, definitely and try to get it right when he has the chance.
At Barcelona under the management of Hansi Flick…
I think they are amazing, they are a team that whenever I look at them there are things that can be learned, things that can be looked at, how they defend, how they defend, how they will get to the Champions League Semi-Finals. They do a lot of things very well and are a team that is always looking for initiative, always looking for value and we try to do the same on our side.
