{"id":383548,"date":"2025-08-29T22:22:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T22:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/383548\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T22:22:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T22:22:13","slug":"maresca-praises-solid-and-organised-west-london-rival-ahead-ofderby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/383548\/","title":{"rendered":"Maresca praises \u2018solid\u2019 and \u2018organised\u2019 West London rival ahead of\nderby"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/28\/chelsea-fc\/1231895-chelsea-discover-uefa-champions-league-opponents-ahead-of-upcoming-league-phase.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enzo Maresca<\/a><\/strong> assessed the prospects of his group ahead of a few key fixtures in the calendar next month. His men have enjoyed a week of rest, but there must be full focus on Saturday afternoon. Against a \u201csolid\u201d and an \u201corganised\u201d opponent, three points are far from a guaranteed outcome.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t<strong>\u2018It&#8217;s not random that they are doing well\u2019<\/strong>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Next on the schedule in their tour of the capital city will be the visit of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/data\/fulham\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fulham<\/a><\/strong>. The Blues battered <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/05\/27\/chelsea-fc\/1224101-chelseas-road-to-the-uefa-conference-league-final.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">West Ham<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>5-1 last Friday after drawing 0-0 against <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/21\/chelsea-fc\/1231091-enzo-maresca-makes-clear-fofana-is-very-happy-as-the-search-for-internalsolutions-continues.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Crystal Palace<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/18\/chelsea-fc\/1230783-four-things-we-learned-from-chelseas-draw-with-crystal-palacetakeaways-from-the-stalemate-at-stamford-bridge.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stamford Bridge<\/a><\/strong>. The Eagles have become one of the most stubborn opponents in the league, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/06\/01\/chelsea-fc\/1224552-chelsea-season-review-202425-blues-bask-in-european-success.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fulham <\/a><\/strong>follow in that trend.<\/p>\n<p>The Cottagers claimed a late 2-1 victory on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2021\/06\/19\/chelsea-fc\/1075388-premier-league-fixture-list-review-chelseas-key-clashes.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Boxing Day<\/a><\/strong> last season on the way to a record 54 point haul. They have not signed any outfield players this summer, but they should still be a stern challenge.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are solid. They are well organized. They play nice football. They are very strong and it&#8217;s not random that they are doing well. Last year was record of points in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/data\/premier-league\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Premier League<\/a><\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/06\/18\/chelsea-fc\/1225900-chelsea-begin-the-202526-premier-league-season-at-home-to-crystal-palace.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fulham<\/a><\/strong> show how Marcos is good. The players, they are good. So, it&#8217;s a game that always we need to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The attack will be without <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/23\/chelsea-fc\/1231425-we-prefer-not-to-take-any-risk-enzo-maresca-speaks-after-west-ham-victory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cole Palmer<\/a><\/strong>, who pulled out of the warmup before kickoff at the <strong>London Stadium <\/strong>with a niggle. Maresca reacted with an introduction for <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/23\/chelsea-fc\/1231381-four-things-we-learned-from-chelseas-thumping-win-against-west-ham.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Estevao <\/a><\/strong>into the lineup and <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/10\/chelsea-fc\/1229984-chelsea-4-1-ac-milan-liam-delap-at-the-double-as-brilliant-blues-dismantle-rossoneri.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joao Pedro<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>pushing into the hole behind <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/12\/chelsea-fc\/1230183-chelsea-202526-season-preview-can-the-world-champions-bask-in-more-success.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liam Delap.<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>He stayed silent about what he will do on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m not looking just for two players to play always. I&#8217;m looking for different solution. For sure they can play together. But it&#8217;s the game plan that demands if it is one, two or both we see.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t<strong>\u2018They are both fantastic teams\u2019<\/strong>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Blues do know what is at stake in European competition. After winning the <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/07\/chelsea-fc\/1229719-maresca-mentions-the-mood-is-much-better-in-the-locker-room-aheadof-new-chelsea-campaign.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Conference League<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>final 4-1 over <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/07\/29\/chelsea-fc\/1228956-where-do-chelsea-have-work-to-do-inthe-transfer-window.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Real Betis <\/a><\/strong>in May, they are in the <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/29\/tottenham-hotspur\/1231985-tottenham-confirm-major-coup-as-xavi-simons-signs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champions League<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>for the first time since 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The 45-year-old expressed his pride in leading the club back to where they belong with the best in Europe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirst of all, we are happy to be in the in the you know in the in the in the draw. We are happy very happy because I think we brought this club where this club has to be in the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/07\/28\/chelsea-fc\/1228825-how-can-chelsea-build-on-their-club-world-cup-win.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champions League<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Italian will travel twice to his home country. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/22\/premier-league\/1231225-footballs-lost-trustbroken-promises.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Atalanta<\/a><\/strong>, the winners of the <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/07\/01\/chelsea-fc\/1226907-kepas-time-at-chelsea-the-good-and-the-bad.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Europa League<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>in 2024, have acquired plenty of experience in Europe&#8217;s top tier competition over the last five years. The man who masterminded their ascent has gone to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2024\/08\/13\/chelsea-fc\/1192510-chelseas-201617-title-winners-where-are-they-now.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roma<\/a><\/strong>, but plenty of talent remains in their ranks.<\/p>\n<p>The other opponent is <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/06\/06\/chelsea-fc\/1224976-napoli-show-interest-in-trevoh-chalobah.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Napoli<\/a><\/strong>. <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/06\/02\/championship\/1224612-what-west-brom-can-expect-from-ryan-mason.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Antonio Conte<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>will clash with his old club, while <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2024\/08\/19\/brighton-hove-albion\/1193201-everton-0-3-brighton-post-match-brighton-player-ratings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Billy Gilmour<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>and <strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2024\/06\/14\/chelsea-fc\/1185202-blues-on-tour-players-representing-their-nations-in-the-euros.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Romelu Lukaku<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong>may also reunite with their former team. Conte guided <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/22\/chelsea-fc\/1231234-cole-palmer-club-world-cup-shirt-sells-for-over-27000-at-auction.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chelsea <\/a><\/strong>to their last league title in his first year in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/03\/chelsea-fc\/1229438-chelsea-announce-the-signing-of-jorrel-hato.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">West London,<\/a><\/strong> and he repeated the feat in Italy, indicating his excellence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are both fantastic teams. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/28\/manchester-city\/1231915-manchester-citys-champions-league-draw-the-breakdown.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Napoli<\/a><\/strong> won the league with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2023\/02\/18\/chelsea-fc\/1138184-opinion-graham-potter-must-now-take-chelsea-to-european-glory-to-keep-his-job.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Antonio Conte<\/a><\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/football\/2025\/08\/16\/premier-league\/1230615-fulham-vs-man-united-premier-league-preview-gameweek-2-2025.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Atalanta<\/a><\/strong> in the last five six year with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vavel.com\/en\/international-football\/2025\/04\/20\/italy-calcio\/1221047-ac-milan-0-1-atalanta-ederson-shines-brightest-as-atalanta-snatch-a-massive-three-points.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gian Piero Gasperini<\/a><\/strong> for me has been probably the best Italian team in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Enzo Maresca assessed the prospects of his group ahead of a few key fixtures in the calendar next&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":383549,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7757],"tags":[748,6274,393,1625,4884,257,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-383548","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-london","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-chelsea-fc","10":"tag-england","11":"tag-fulham","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-london","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115114393205793150","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383548","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383548"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383548\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/383549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}