Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has fired back at critics following his side’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, which secured the club a top-four Premier League finish and a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Speaking after the decisive clash at the City Ground, Maresca, who guided a youthful Chelsea squad through a rollercoaster campaign, didn’t hold back in his post-match comments.
“I didn’t have any doubt about the players,” Maresca said.
“The doubt was from outside. All the ones that have the answers or the truth, saying we’re too young or not good enough.They were waiting for Villa to drop points. They said we couldn’t win on this pitch. Unfortunately for them, they were all wrong. So, in English, how you say? ‘F*** off’ to all of them.”
The match-winner came courtesy of Levi Colwill, who netted the game’s only goal. The victory ensured Chelsea’s fourth-place finish, capping off what had been a turbulent yet ultimately rewarding season for the former Leicester City boss.
Chelsea’s resurgence has been largely powered by their youthful core, with the squad recording the youngest average age in Premier League history — 24 years and 36 days.
Maresca continued:
“City lost here, Arsenal drew here, Liverpool drew here, Chelsea won. It’s not easy.
The players showed how good they are. If we didn’t win, you’d all call this season a disaster. But it wasn’t.”
Looking ahead, Chelsea will shift focus to Europe as they prepare to take on Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. This is a chance to cap their season with silverware.
