Enzo Maresca has expressed his frustration over Chelsea being granted 48 hours less preparation time compared to Real Betis for the upcoming UEFA Conference League final. Chelsea is set to face Nottingham Forest on Sunday in a crucial match that could secure them a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Maresca is upset that Betis’ last La Liga game against Valencia has been delayed in order to give Manuel Pellegrini’s players more rest. “I’m not happy, 100%,” he said. In a European competition final, you can’t give one team 48 hours more than the other. It would have been more fair if we played on Friday or they played Sunday like us.
“I don’t know if it’s from La Liga, from the Premier League, or from UEFA. If I ask you if it’s normal to play a final when a team has 48 hours more than the other team, it is not normal; it’s not something correct.It’s unclear to me whether it’s the Premier League, La Liga, or UEFA.
The manager of Chelsea stated that his team’s game at the City Ground is their first priority and that it would be unfair if he didn’t play in the final now that we’re here. He also revealed that Filip Jorgensen will start in Wroclaw in place of Robert Sanchez, the team’s regular domestic goalkeeper.
“So for the Betis game, it will be Filip plus 10 players. I can’t specify who the other 10 will be, but Filip definitely deserves to play in that final.”
Chelsea’s involvement in the Conference League has faced scrutiny throughout the season due to their higher level compared to other teams in the competition. However, Maresca believes that winning next Wednesday is crucial to cultivating a winning mentality among his young squad.
“It’s very important, primarily to build a winning mentality,” he stressed. “You can’t aim for the Europa League or the Champions League if you are competing in the Conference. We are in this competition now, and we have to maintain our focus to win it.
“This season has certainly helped the players gain experience in winning games, which is essential for developing a winning mentality. We are now close to the final step, and I hope we can secure the title.”
