As the new Premier League season approaches, Chelsea's new manager Maresca is leading the team's intense pre-season preparations in the United States. In an exclusive interview with The Athletic, Maresca expressed his ambitions for the future of the team and his views on the expectations of the outside world.
Maresca firstly confessed that he is eager to lead Chelsea to reach the high level like Manchester City as soon as possible, but he also made it clear that it doesn't mean that he will copy Manchester City's soccer style. He emphasized that every coach has his own philosophy and way of doing things, while he hopes to create a unique tactical system based on Chelsea's players' characteristics and actual situation. He explained, "What I don't like is that people expect us to play the same kind of soccer as Manchester City because our players and coaching team are different from Manchester City."
Speaking about his pre-season performance, Maresca appeared both pragmatic and combative. The results of the first two friendlies were not ideal, but he was not discouraged by them. He explained that the team is going through a transition period of tactical adjustments and a change of old and new players, and it takes time to gel and adapt. He especially mentioned the team's new change in the defensive end, i.e. the adoption of one-on-one high-pressure pressing tactics, which is to increase the team's aggressiveness and competitiveness. He firmly believes that as long as the players can understand and implement this tactic, Chelsea's defense will become more solid.
Maresca appeared very sober about the comparison with strong teams such as Manchester City and Arsenal. He admitted that these teams have been able to dominate for a long time because their managers have been able to coach and stabilize the team's tactical system for a long time. Chelsea, on the other hand, is currently at a fresh start and needs time and patience to build its way to success. He firmly believes that as long as the team is united and works hard, it will be able to gradually narrow the gap with the strongest teams.
Furthermore, Maresca spoke about his relationship with Guardiola and Pellegrini's influence on him. He appreciated the guidance and inspiration Guardiola gave him as a predecessor, but he also made it clear that he would not simply copy Guardiola's tactical style. He also thanked Pellegrini for his encouragement and teaching early in his career, experiences that strengthened his resolve to become a good coach.
Finally, Maresca expressed his confidence and expectation for the future of Chelsea. He believes that with the support of the club's senior management and the joint efforts of the players, Chelsea will be able to return to the top of the Premier League and create more glorious moments. He looks forward to working with the players to meet the challenges and opportunities of the new season and to write a new chapter for Chelsea.
