Now World ViewEvery word Enzo Maresca said on Conference League goal, Cole Palmer plan, double injury return
Sign up to the free Chelsea newsletter for the latest Blues news straight to your inbox
More Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!
We have more newsletters
Show me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28
Sign up to the free Chelsea newsletter for the latest Blues news straight to your inbox
Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!
We have more newsletters
Show MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy Notice
Enzo Maresca has just faced the media ahead of his Chelsea side's Conference League round of 16 tie first-leg against Copenhagen on Thursday evening.
The Blues, who are big favourites going into tomorrow night's match, are in the Danish capital for arguably their toughest test yet in the competition. Maresca has just wrapped up his pre-match press conference, and you can read every word he had to say below.
Welcome to Copenhagen. How do you see the Copenhagen team?
"Thank you! A very good team, they are doing great in the league and also in the Conference [League]. They have a very good manager, a very good team. They play nice football, so it will be a tough game."
How seriously are you taking to the Conference League?
"From now on, all the Conference League games and all the Premier League games, they are all important. We are going to take one by one until the end, trying to win as many games as possible."
Will Robert Sanchez start tomorrow?
"Robert starts tomorrow, yes."
Is he ready?
"In this moment, I think he already played Brighton away in the FA Cup, the last FA Cup game, and then he didn't play in the Premier League. Tomorrow he is going to play and we'll see. I said a few times already about Robert, it's a matter to give him different kind of games to try and help him. This is the reason why."
Can we expect to see Cole Palmer play tomorrow?
"Since we started, all the decisions we took are all trying to protect players. With Cole and Wes [Fofana], Romeo [Lavia] exactly the same. Now we have Premier League games and Conference League games that are all important. We can change players in the squad, so we decided to add some, for instance we added Cole for the final part of the season. For sure, if he is in the squad, he can play minutes, no doubt.
Is he excited to play in the Conference League?
"Yeah, but Cole is excited to play training sessions, so for sure, he is excited to play these games."
What have you found from analysing Copenhagen?
"It's very clear what they try to do, on the ball especially, also off the ball. They are already a long time together. I was here three years ago with [Manchester] City playing in this stadium in the group, so I know the environment, I know the players they have. The manager, as I said, it's nice to watch them play, because it's nice football, it will be a tough game."
The decision to bring Cole in now… is that because you have fewer players available, or was that always the plan?
"It was planned. We planned that at the beginning of the season, for the first six months of the season, to try and give him more rest. Him, Wes and Romeo – unfortunately the other two had injuries. The plan was exactly this plan."
Do you think Palmer needs just one goal to click again?
"In terms of numbers, for sure. When I say numbers, I mean goals and assists, but I'm happy with the way Cole is, even in the last game or Villa away where he had two or three chances. I know in some moments, he wasn't always going to score always, it's normal. The good thing is that for sure, when he scores, he is happy and we are all happy because they are probably all goals that can give us points. But at the same time, he is okay and we are all okay. No problem."
This is your first European knockout game as manager. Does it differ in preparation?
"We try game after game, to be focused on what we can do better, since we started. Not only the game, but also the training sessions. For me, the main focus is try to help players to improve. The preparation is exactly the same as we prepare Southampton, how we will prepare Leicester and we prepare all the rest of the games. It's not 90 minutes, it's 180 minutes, so it's a bit different. You can manage a little bit different."
Thoughts on Mohamed Elyounoussi being left out of the Copenhagen squad?
"This is a question for them and not for me. Nothing to say. For us, it's a competition and we are going to try and do our best."
What are your thoughts on the Copenhagen manager?
"As I said, the team plays very nice football. It's a team that always tries to control the game. I watched the Conference League games, the games in the league and they try to control and dominate the game every time. There is a clear idea. They have a good mix [of players]. Up front, they have good players and in the midfield they have experienced players like Delaney. They are a good team."
Are Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah both ready to play now?
"They are both ready. Trev was not something serious so he is OK. Benoit has been training in the past week or 10 days, probably even more. Wes is not in the squad but also he is back. Romeo has started to train with us in the last two days. Slowly, slowly, we are getting players back and ready for the final rush of the season."
How big of a boost is that?
"We said already a few times, unfortunately our bad moment started with the amount of injuries but some of them are already back and in the process to be back. It is a huge boost for me and for the players."
Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow Football LondonFacebookX (Twitter)CommentMore On
- Enzo Maresca
- Chelsea press conference
- Enzo Fernandez
- UEFA Europa Conference League
