Latest news with #EnzoMaresca
The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cole Palmer's Chelsea finally believe they are Premier League contenders
When Chelsea won the Conference League in May, a victory secured by the standard ice‑cold Cole Palmer performance in a final, the reaction was restrained and there was no internal talk of an impending title challenge. Now the vibe is different. It is hard not to dream when Chelsea perform as they did against Paris Saint‑Germain in the final of the Club World Cup. Nobody is getting carried away. Chelsea know what the rest of us know, which is that they are not the best team in the world. They are not the finished article. They are young and still have much to learn. Yet there is a gold badge on the shirt for the next four years and if Chelsea woke up feeling $100m on Monday morning it will not only have been because of the prize money made during their month in the US. Where does this end? Chelsea have built priceless momentum and will head into the new season with serious aspirations of winning the Premier League and going far in the Champions League. They are youthful, aggressive, motivated and extremely talented. They are champions of the world, an achievement that should not be played down. They were the second-youngest side at the Club World Cup and have benefited from treating it seriously. They have grown as a team, honing their tactical vision and hardening their mentality, and it has done wonders for Enzo Maresca's standing as head coach after a challenging first year. Maresca has seemed on dodgy ground at times. He wobbled during a difficult spell after Christmas and has not found it easy to convince match-going fans to embrace his patient, positional football. The players, though, are different. Maresca clearly has total buy-in from the squad. 'He is building something special,' Palmer said after leading the destruction of PSG with two goals and an assist for João Pedro before half-time. 'He's a top coach,' Malo Gusto said before the final. 'He's always watching his next opponent and doing analysis. That helps us.' Maresca's plan was perfect against PSG. Chelsea were coherent and disciplined. 'The first 10 minutes, the team was there to showed that we were there to win,' Maresca said. Chelsea were physical from the start. They went direct, beating Luis Enrique's ferocious pressing system, and targeted PSG's left flank. 'That's where we tried to win the game,' Maresca said. 'But you can give the players a plan – in the end it's them who have to execute it.' Chelsea delivered, the collective combining to create conditions for Palmer's quality to shine. It should do wonders for their confidence. They are back in the Champions League after a two-year absence and will believe they can compete with the best after doing to PSG what the French club have been doing to everyone else in Europe during the past eight months. This is a project moving in the right direction. Palmer is the jewel in the crown – incredibly he was unwell last week but still left PSG feeling under the weather – but it is a team effort. The work conducted by the recruitment team of Paul Winstanley, Joe Shields, Laurence Stewart and Sam Jewell cannot be overlooked. They have faced external criticism but will earn more respect after this triumph. The question is whether Chelsea can push on. They were reluctant to say that they were challengers last season, even when two points off the top just before Christmas. But something shifted when they got over the line during the run-in and finished fourth. Champions League qualification gave them belief; thumping PSG enhances it. 'I said at the start of this tournament that our plan is to win it and people looked at me as if I was crazy,' Levi Colwill said. 'I'm going to say the exact same thing now going into the Premier League and Champions League. I think we're ready.' Chelsea look stronger. João Pedro has transformed the attack in the space of two weeks, impressing with his pressing, mobility and link play. Maresca has options. He was able to bring on Liam Delap against PSG and use the striker's pace on the break. Chelsea have different modes of attack. They can counter with Pedro Neto's pace on the flanks. Jamie Gittens and Estêvão Willian are joining and will provide more depth on the flanks. Another positive from the tournament? Estêvão proving he can take on English defences by scoring against Chelsea in his final game for Palmeiras. The unknown is whether Chelsea are going to be more adept at breaking down low blocks. There was space against PSG but other sides will not be as accommodating. Chelsea are going to come up against a lot of deep defences. It is partly why João Pedro has been signed; Maresca regards the Brazilian's versatility as a way to unlock tight games. Enzo Fernández's development as a box-crashing midfielder is another plus. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion There will be challenges, not least when it comes to dealing with the physical impact of the Club World Cup. Chelsea have three weeks off before returning for pre-season and host Crystal Palace in their opening Premier League game. It is hard to know how this plays out. They could use the positive vibes to hit the ground running but there may come a point when they crash. Or they may start slowly and find themselves in another battle for the top four. The additional demands of an expanded Champions League further complicates matters. Chelsea were able to rest their A‑listers in the Conference League but that is not an option this time. It is acknowledged that Maresca needs cover for Marc Cucurella at left-back. But the squad does not need a lot of work. It is said that Robert Sánchez is not a title-winning goalkeeper but he was outstanding against PSG. There has been a lot of talk about a new centre-back but Chelsea gave away little against Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. There is depth in a lot of other positions. Not that it will be quiet before the window shuts. Chelsea's bank balance has been boosted and they are nothing if not afraid to trade. Noni Madueke is going to Arsenal and another attacker could be targeted if Nicolas Jackson or Christopher Nkunku leaves. Tyrique George has a lot of wingers in front of him. Chelsea have been fined by Uefa for breaching financial fair play rules and must generate positive income if they are to register new players in their Champions League squad. The goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is joining Bournemouth for £25m. Chelsea have outcasts to sell; plenty of ways to bring in money. Buyers must be found for Raheem Sterling, João Félix, Axel Disasi and many more. That element of the approach led by Clearlake Capital, the club's majority owner, leaves some observers cold. It is important that Chelsea embrace stability and keep the core group together. 'We've got the best players in our team, young players, and that's our plan: to win the biggest trophies for Chelsea,' Colwill said. 'No matter what, we've got to stick together.' He was on top of the world. Chelsea have no intention of crashing back to earth. They think this is just the beginning.
Arab News
34 minutes ago
- Business
- Arab News
Chelsea's Club World Cup triumph a ‘statement', but what might be the cost?
NEW YORK: For Chelsea, victory in Sunday's Club World Cup decider completed a fine first season under Enzo Maresca, and also finally brought the curtain down on a marathon campaign that they must hope does not catch up with them down the line. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Chelsea have also pocketed a stunning $115 million in prize money from the Club World Cup, but what if there comes a point in 2025/26 when their exploits of this season catch up with them? While Chelsea have been competing at the Club World Cup in draining weather conditions, Premier League champions Liverpool and runners-up Arsenal have enjoyed extended off-season breaks. Manchester City were also at the Club World Cup but they went out over a week earlier. Global players' union FIFPro has been the leading voices expressing concerns about the demands on the game's biggest stars in an ever-expanding calendar. One of the safeguards it proposed in a study published before the tournament was a mandatory four-week off-season break, along with four-week retraining periods before returning to competition. Chelsea's off-season is drastically reduced, with their first match of the next Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace slated for August 17, exactly five weeks after the Club World Cup final. They have a friendly against Bayer Leverkusen on August 8. 'Tomorrow I have three weeks of holiay which is all I want right now because I have not stopped in 15 months,' said Maresca on Sunday. It remains to be seen if Maresca and his players come back sufficiently refreshed before attacking a season in which they hope to go far in the Champions League, and which will end with the World Cup in North America. PSG face an even tighter squeeze after a historic campaign for Luis Enrique's team, capped by their triumph in the Champions League final. Their first competitive match of next season will be the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur in Italy on August 13, exactly one month after their defeat in New York — a chance to win more silverware, but at what cost?
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Chelsea show rest of Europe how to stop PSG in the Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain games often have a Groundhog Day feel: they start with a rugby punt into the corner, fall into a pattern of PSG domination and, invariably, end in victory for Luis Enrique's side. Be it in Ligue 1, the Champions League or at the Club World Cup, their opponents tend to deploy unambitious low blocks to break the inevitable pattern. But the tactic rarely stifles PSG's forwards. PSG have lost just three games in 2025; two of those defeats came in the league, after the title was already secured and attention had shifted towards a maiden European title. A low-block against a side so fluid, liberated and technically gifted is submission masquerading as resistance. Chelsea subverted the trend. So used to exerting territorial and possessional dominance, PSG were immediately put on the back foot. 'We won the game in the first 10 minutes. It set the tone,' said Enzo Maresca after his side lifted the trophy in New Jersey. Chelsea's aggressive, man-to-man, high-pressing approach produced a 3-0 win, but the English side did not dominate all phases of play. The new 'world champions' were limited to 33% possession, conceded eight shots and were reliant on Robert Sánchez to produce brilliant saves, notably from Ousmane Dembélé early in the second half. Chelsea lacked the in-possession structure to fully stifle Luis Enrique's side, but they kept the dangermen – Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – out of the game. By pushing so many players deep into the PSG half, Chelsea managed to stifle the influence of the swashbuckling Vitinha and sever the production lines. Chelsea's persistent, intense and organised pressing did not limit PSG's possessional dominance, but it did prevent them from establishing territorial dominance. 'It was difficult for us from the opening minutes,' admitted Luis Enrique. 'I said that Chelsea are a good team. They showed it.' Chelsea unsettled PSG, giving them a taste of their own medicine. And for once, it was the Champions League winners who could not match that energy without the ball. Kvaratskhelia's lethargy in pressing and reluctance to recover down his flank was the source of Chelsea's third goal, a lovely dinked finish from João Pedro. Sánchez, sometimes shaky when pressed, had the time to sweep the ball out to Malo Gusto, who set up Cole Palmer for his first goal. Levi Colwill too had ample time to set up Palmer to get his second, a mirror-image of his opener as he switched the play out to his right. Luis Enrique's side lacked their characteristic verve and they were punished for it on three occasions as their chances of completing a clean sweep of trophies evaporated inside the first half. Weaknesses not previously perceived or recognised as such were exploited. Nuno Mendes has been the best left-back in Europe this season. As well as bombing forward, he has also stifled the likes of Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka in the Champions League. Against Chelsea he provided a reminder of his defensive fallibility and vulnerability to long balls played into his zone. Lucas Beraldo, positioned next to Mendes in the PSG defence, would have been perceived as a target before the game. He was only starting in the absence of Willian Pacho, whose red card against Bayern Munich ruled him out. The Brazilian, who has now reportedly made a transfer request, has struggled when given chances, and it was no different against Chelsea. All three goals happened within his zone, even if he was not always directly responsible. 'We used Cole and Malo on that side to create a little bit of an overload,' said Maresca. End-of-season fatigue has been cited as a factor, as have the searing temperatures and the fact Chelsea had an extra day to prepare for the final. The PSG players have expended a lot of physical and mental energy over this 65-game campaign, but Chelsea's season has lasted 64 games and they had to contend with the same conditions, described as 'dangerous' by Enzo Fernández before the match. Luis Enrique was not in search of excuses. 'Over the course of the match, they deserved the win,' admitted the Spaniard, who recognised his opponent's superiority on the day. 'We aren't losers. We didn't fail. There was a champion. We fell but the loser is the one who doesn't get up.' The Spaniard had, nonetheless, lost his cool moments earlier, involved in what he described as an 'avoidable' altercation with Pedro post-match. He, like his players – notably João Neves, who was sent off for a pull on Marc Cucurella's hair – were all suddenly bereft of the composure that characterised their serene run to the Champions League trophy – superhumans rendered human once more. So have Chelsea set the blueprint of how to beat PSG? Champions League-level sides may be wise to ditch the passive, defensive and submissive approach adopted by many last season. Fight quality with quality, if you can. But there is a quality imbalance in Ligue 1 and one that is only being widened. PSG are the only team truly immune to the financial problems gripping the domestic game and the €116m earned over their Club World Cup run only strengthens their financial situation. Ligue 1 sides have only spent €160m so far this summer and more than half of that has been on signing players who were already at clubs on loan last season. PSG are yet to make their move in the transfer window, but they soon will – Nasser Al-Khelaifi has confirmed as much. Ligue 1 sides cannot fight quality with quality; low blocks, the likes of which Les Parisiens face week-in-week-out, will still be seen as the way to attempt to level an uneven playing field. While their French rivals may not lick their lips at the flaws laid bare in New Jersey, their European rivals will. This is an article by Get French Football News
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Why Chelsea have NOT qualified for 2029 Club World Cup despite winning… but losing finalists PSG have
Chelsea will have to work hard to make it to the next Club World Cup CUP TIED Why Chelsea have NOT qualified for 2029 Club World Cup despite winning… but losing finalists PSG have Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHELSEA have not qualified for the next Club World Cup competition despite winning the first one after the tournament's restructuring. But Paris Saint-Germain - the team the Blues comprehensively defeated in the final - have punched their ticket for the next championship in four years' time. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Chelsea have not qualified for the next Club World Cup competition despite winning the first one 3 Chelsea will have to qualify as one of Uefa's top 12 teams 3 Paris Saint-Germain, who lost the final, will be in 2029 after winning the Champions League The West Londoners thrashed Champions League winners PSG 3-0 on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium in the United States. Enzo Maresca's men dominated the first half and sealed the trophy by half-time thanks to a brace by Cole Palmer and a fine finish by summer signing Joao Pedro. But bizarrely enough, Chelsea were not rewarded with an automatic place in the 2029 Club World Cup. That is because there are 32 places up for grabs with the allocation being distributed between each continent. As per Fifa rankings, Uefa are granted 12 spots, CONMEBOL six, AFC four, CAF four, CONCACAF four, and OFC one. The host nation of the next tournament will also be granted a slot but there is no guaranteed spot for the actual winners, meaning Chelsea must qualify as one of Uefa's 12 clubs. But PSG are already confirmed despite losing the final as they will be one of the four Champions League winners leading to the next tournament. After the Champions League winners are added, the remaining spots will be filled through Uefa ranking. And Chelsea are currently sitting 14th in that respective list, so they may either have to climb up a few places or win the competition by 2029. Nevertheless, the Premier League giants will be leaving the US with far more than just a trophy. Cole Palmer and Chelsea celebrate in style as they arrive back at their hotel after Club World Cup victory Chelsea have also bagged a staggering £97million in earnings.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Why Chelsea have NOT qualified for 2029 Club World Cup despite winning… but losing finalists PSG have
CHELSEA have not qualified for the next Club World Cup competition despite winning the first one after the tournament's restructuring. But Paris Saint-Germain - the team the Blues comprehensively defeated in the final - have punched their ticket for the next championship in four years' time. 3 3 3 The West Londoners thrashed Champions League winners PSG 3-0 on Sunday at the MetLife Stadium in the United States. Enzo Maresca's men dominated the first half and sealed the trophy by half-time thanks to a brace by Cole Palmer and a fine finish by summer signing Joao Pedro. But bizarrely enough, Chelsea were not rewarded with an automatic place in the 2029 Club World Cup. That is because there are 32 places up for grabs with the allocation being distributed between each continent. As per Fifa rankings, Uefa are granted 12 spots, CONMEBOL six, AFC four, CAF four, CONCACAF four, and OFC one. The host nation of the next tournament will also be granted a slot but there is no guaranteed spot for the actual winners, meaning Chelsea must qualify as one of Uefa's 12 clubs. But PSG are already confirmed despite losing the final as they will be one of the four Champions League winners leading to the next tournament. After the Champions League winners are added, the remaining spots will be filled through Uefa ranking. And Chelsea are currently sitting 14th in that respective list, so they may either have to climb up a few places or win the competition by 2029. Nevertheless, the Premier League giants will be leaving the US with far more than just a trophy. Chelsea have also bagged a staggering £97million in earnings.
