Chelsea not yet ready to compete for Premier League title, admits Maresca

Enzo Maresca has stated that Chelsea isn't yet prepared to challenge for the Premier League title. However, he feels that the positive beginning to the season is fostering "energy, trust, and confidence" within his team.

Chelsea secured a 4-2 victory against Gent in their first match of the Conference League on Thursday, marking their fifth consecutive win across all competitions. Under Maresca's management, the team has netted 17 goals during this impressive streak. As they prepare to face Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, they currently sit in fourth place in the league. They trail Liverpool, the league leaders, by two points and are just one point behind last season’s champions, Manchester City—who handed Chelsea their only loss of the season so far on the opening weekend—and last year's runners-up, Arsenal. Maresca, who previously served as an assistant to Pep Guardiola at City, emphasized the importance of giving the team time to develop since his appointment from Leicester during the summer.

"I truly believe we can’t go head-to-head with City or Arsenal at this point. We just aren’t prepared," he stated. "The main reason is that City has had their manager for nine years, while Arsenal has had theirs for five. To be in contention for major titles, you need to invest that kind of time."

Following Arsenal's victory over PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday, Luis Enrique shared his thoughts, highlighting that Arsenal has had their manager for five years, whereas PSG has only had theirs for a year and a half. He pointed out the significant difference, especially when considering that they have only been with their current management for three months. He expressed his belief that they are currently not able to compete with those top teams. The focus, he said, is on gradual improvement and slowly becoming more competitive, but right now, they’re not in a position to match up against those clubs.

When asked about the timeframe for reaching the level of teams like City and Arsenal, Maresca replied, "There's no set timeline since you can always keep developing and finding new solutions. Ultimately, the longer you spend time together, the better things become, as it allows for a deeper understanding among the players. They can grow and improve collectively. That's what it comes down to."

Maresca rejected the idea that his relaxed style contrasts with that of Chelsea’s former Italian managers—Carlo Ancelotti, Maurizio Sarri, and Antonio Conte. However, he noted that the strong start to the season has boosted the confidence of his team.

"I appreciate who I am and embrace our differences," he stated. "I spent three years as a teammate with Antonio at Juventus, and I can attest to his calm demeanor." He continued, "Winning games relies on energy, trust, and confidence, which all contribute to our progress. However, it's also the players who are quick to notice when the team performs well or not. While results matter, the players are particularly confident because they can clearly see our identity."