Enzo Maresca Discusses Injuries, Madueke’s Attitude, and Chelsea’s Performance Exceeding Expectations

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca addressed the media in advance of Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham, scheduled for 16:30 GMT. The following are the key points from his press conference: Regarding player fitness, Reece James and Wesley Fofana remain “still far” and “weeks” away from returning to action, though they “are slowly getting better.” Mykhailo Mudryk is unwell and will not be available for the trip to north London. Maresca stated he had “nothing to add” concerning discussions about his team’s involvement in the title race, despite their ascent to second place this week. He reiterated, “I said I don’t think we are there and ready to compete with Arsenal, Liverpool and [Manchester] City. We are not thinking about April, May or June. It’s too early. Things can change quick in football.” Addressing his recent comments regarding Noni Madueke’s training attitude, Maresca remarked, “Overall he’s working well since we start. Sometimes he drops a little bit. The only reason I said this the other day is because I want the best from Noni and to get the best you have to push him. If he relaxes a little bit, it’s wrong.” Maresca indicated that Chelsea’s performance this season is “ahead of my expectations.” He elaborated, “In terms of points and how we want to play on and off the ball, I was convinced we’d reach that moment but not so early. It’s because the players are doing fantastic.” Regarding Enzo Fernandez’s current form, Maresca observed, “He’s improving a lot in terms of understanding the game and the position. Now he’s arriving in the box. This is what we need from the attacking players. He has many things he can do better, all the squad do. He’s in the right way.” Discussing the upcoming challenge presented by Spurs, Maresca commented, “First of all they have good players and a good manager. It’s very clear what they want to do on and off the ball. What kind of problems they have, I don’t know. You have to be there to understand. A fantastic team – they beat City 4-0 two weeks ago.”