Saturday, February 15, 2025
HomeEnglish Premier LeagueMaresca says Chelsea 'confused' in Celtic hammering

Maresca says Chelsea ‘confused’ in Celtic hammering

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is well aware that his team has a lot of room for improvement after suffering a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Celtic. The Bhoys, fresh off a victory against Manchester City, ended their United States tour in spectacular fashion on Saturday.

Goals from Matt O’Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi, Luis Palma, and Mikey Johnston put Celtic 4-0 ahead before Christopher Nkunku pulled one back for Chelsea from the penalty spot. Despite having 10 shots on target and hitting the woodwork twice, Maresca admitted that there is work to be done.

“We need to improve our off-the-ball movement,” Maresca acknowledged. “There are times when we get confused about whether to play short or long passes, but that’s part of the learning process. We maintained a high defensive line, but when the ball isn’t under pressure, we need to drop back. We’re still figuring things out both on and off the ball, which is normal when we’re trying something new.”

Chelsea’s Premier League campaign kicks off against reigning champions Manchester City on August 18, but the two teams will face each other in a friendly match on August 3. City themselves have been struggling during their pre-season tour, suffering a 3-2 defeat to Milan on Saturday. Erling Haaland continued his scoring streak, but Marco Nasti’s goal in the 78th minute sealed the victory for Milan.

City’s loss comes after a 4-3 defeat to Celtic, and manager Pep Guardiola commented, “We were better than in the first game. It was a step forward – no injuries, minutes under our belt, another test – and now we fly to another game in a few days.”

Aston Villa, another Premier League side in action in the United States, also experienced a defeat, losing 4-1 to MLS team Columbus Crew. On a positive note, manager Unai Emery welcomed back Emiliano Buendia, who missed last season due to injury.

“The best news is his comeback,” Emery expressed. “We are delighted to have him back and we will gradually work with him to bring out his best. His first 30 minutes on the pitch were fantastic for us and the team.”

In another match, West Ham suffered a 3-1 defeat to Wolves, with manager Julen Lopetegui facing his former team.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular

Recent Comments