Maresca After 5–1 West Ham Win: “It Has Been Fantastic Since I Enjoyed Chelsea”

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca – “It has been fantastic since I joined the club”

Enzo Maresca cut a satisfied figure after watching his Chelsea side dismantle West Ham 5–1 at the London Stadium, but the Italian manager was keen to place the emphatic win within the broader story of his early tenure.

For Maresca, the journey since arriving at Stamford Bridge has been one of unexpected highs and continuous growth.

“Very happy for today, also very happy last week,” Maresca told BBC Sport. “I thought the performance was good. We didn’t score then against Palace, but tonight we scored five.”

His words carried the calm authority of a coach who believes his methods are already taking root. Friday evening came with its share of hurdles. Cole Palmer, a central figure in Chelsea’s plans, was forced to withdraw before kick-off.

Maresca explained: “In the last four or five days, he was not 100%. In the warm-up, he felt something, and we didn’t want to take any risk to get worse.”

Instead, teenage prospect Estevão Willian, who recently thanked the Chelsea fans for his Premier League opportunity, stepped in, showing both the promise and the raw edges of a player still learning the demands of English football.

“He needs to adapt, he needs to make many mistakes to understand how the Premier League is different to in Brazil,” said Maresca. “We conceded after he did the flick, he needs to understand, but he is a fantastic player.”

That blend of patience and belief underlines Maresca’s approach as he encourages his youngsters to thrive while reminding them of the standards required. Yet, beyond the specifics of the game, the Italian was most animated when speaking about the wider trajectory of his time at Chelsea.

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“For me, it has been fantastic since the moment I joined the club,” he said with a smile. “Probably the last results – Conference League, Club World Cup, top four in the Premier League. I think no one expected it, but we achieved it.”

Maresca also touched on his selection choices, making clear that squad balance remains vital, even when it means leaving star names out of the XI. “Reece [James] is one of our best players. I would like to start every game with him, but we have more players. We have two good full-backs and will use both.”