Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca insists there is “no reason to panic” over the club’s recent poor run of form, as he prepares his side for a crucial Champions League fixture against Benfica at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
The Blues began the season strongly, lifting the FIFA Club World Cup in July, but have since lost three of their past four matches in all competitions, including their Champions League opener against Bayern Munich.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Maresca blamed Chelsea’s disciplinary problems for the dip in results, pointing out that four of their last five defeats came after red cards.
“In football, you know better than me, football is a crazy world,” Maresca said. “If you lost five games in six months and you need to say things to defend yourself, that means it’s a crazy world. I don’t think we need to defend ourselves in this moment because the reality is that I have a very good feeling with the squad we have.”
The Italian admitted he could have managed situations better during the defeats to Manchester United and Brighton, when Chelsea were reduced to 10 men. However, he stressed that the only loss with a full squad on the pitch came against German champions Bayern earlier this month.
Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge Return
Tuesday’s fixture will also see the return of Jose Mourinho, newly appointed Benfica head coach, to Stamford Bridge. Maresca described the occasion as an “absolute honour.”
Mourinho, 62, who was sacked by Turkish side Fenerbahce earlier this summer, remains a legendary figure at Chelsea after winning three Premier League titles and multiple domestic cups across two spells in charge.
Team News
Chelsea will assess the fitness of Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos, and Joao Pedro, who picked up knocks in Saturday’s defeat to Brighton.
The Blues need a victory to revive their Champions League campaign, while Benfica, under Mourinho, will look to spoil the occasion with a statement result in London.
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