Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca displayed a range of emotions after the damaging defeat to Newcastle United, fully aware of how costly this loss could be.
Maresca has been eager to highlight what he sees as Chelsea’s progress since taking over from Mauricio Pochettino in the summer. However, the true assessment of his management will only come at the end of the Premier League season.
The Italian views Chelsea’s advance to the upcoming Europa Conference League final against Real Betis as a strong indication of the team’s improvement under his leadership. Nonetheless, the harsh reality is that this is a tournament Chelsea was expected to win. Celebrating success in Europe’s third-tier competition will not suffice at Stamford Bridge.
For a club with Chelsea’s ambitions and significant financial investment, the Champions League is paramount. That is where they believe they truly belong.
Currently, the Blues are holding on to the final Champions League spot with just two matches left. However, with only a point separating them from the seventh-placed team, the situation is too precarious for comfort.
The 2-0 loss at Newcastle now adds considerable pressure to their remaining matches: a home game against Manchester United and a critical away fixture on the final day against seventh-placed Nottingham Forest, who are also pursuing the same valuable Champions League qualification.
