Chelsea FC Coach Enzo Maresca Acknowledges Club's Challenges Since Champions League Triumph

By Robert Mutasi 

Enzo Maresca, the current head coach of Chelsea FC, has given a blunt assessment of the club's recent struggles, pointing out the stark contrast between the team that won the Champions League just three years ago and the one he manages today.

Maresca's comments come as Chelsea struggle with underperformance despite huge investment in the squad.

"Perhaps one thing must be clear: Chelsea three years ago won the Champions League... but now it's not that kind of Chelsea," Maresca said in a recent interview.

His words reflect a growing awareness among Chelsea supporters that the club is no longer the force that lifted Europe's most prestigious trophy in 2021.

Chelsea's victory in the 2021 UEFA Champions League under then manager Thomas Tuchel was a high point in the club's modern history.

The team, led by key figures such as N'Golo Kanté, Mason Mount, and Kai Havertz, who scored the last goal in the final against Manchester City, was praised for its tenacity and tactical discipline.

However, since that victory, Chelsea has experienced a turbulent period with changes in managers, changes in players and inconsistent results on the field.

After Tuchel's departure in September 2022, Chelsea made several managerial changes, with Graham Potter and Frank Lampard briefly at the helm before the appointment of Maresca in the summer of 2023. 

Despite these changes, the team has struggled to find consistency.

Maresca, who was previously Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, has been tasked with revamping a squad that is still in flux.

Reflecting on the current state of the team, Maresca admitted that Chelsea's current reality is far from the glory of 2021.

 "Now, sometimes, if you don't win it's normal," he admitted, speaking of the challenges of rebuilding the team while managing the high expectations stemming from the club's recent success.

Under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Chelsea have spent more than £1 billion on new players since 2022, bringing in young talents like Enzo Fernández, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Christopher Nkunku.

Despite this huge investment, the club's performance has been sluggish, and they have struggled to compete regularly at the top level.

Maresca's comments highlight the difficulty of balancing long-term project development with the immediate needs of a club of Chelsea's stature.

As the team continues to adapt to Maresca's philosophy and approach, there is hope that the Blues can finally return to the heights of their success in 2021.

However, as Maresca's words suggest, patience will be required as Chelsea navigate this difficult period in their history.