Enzo Maresca watches the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London last Sunday. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca lauded Tuesday the “beautiful” culture of English football, saying the excitement generated by the Premier League was unrivalled anywhere else in Europe.
Five of the 10 top-flight games in England last weekend saw the result change in stoppage time, including Brentford’s 4-3 win over Ipswich and West Ham’s 2-1 defeat of Manchester United — Erik ten Hag’s last match as boss of the Red Devils.
Maresca, spared a dramatic climax to his team’s 2-1 win against Newcastle, suggested supporters in England do not realise their good fortune.
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“It’s the reason why people are so in love with the Premier League,” the Italian said. “You’re from England, you don’t realise how the Premier League is (viewed) abroad.
“One of the reasons why is that the game is never finished here. In different countries, my country for instance, if you’re 2-0 up last five minutes, you can have five or six players that fall down for 20 seconds, half an hour. It’s difficult to come back.
“In England it’s a different culture. It’s probably the reason why it’s so beautiful.”
Sunday’s win was Chelsea’s fifth in nine league games and left them fifth in the table, just a point adrift of a Champions League place as a youthful side continued their encouraging progress under Maresca.
“The club never mentioned to me about top four,” he said. “They always said the target is to build something important for the next four, five years.
“For sure we’re working every day to build something important. Could it be a pressure for the players? I don’t think so, because if you go game by game you can see yourself where you are in that moment.
“If you start to think about top four or top six, you’re thinking about May, June. For me it’s too far.”
Maresca has a fully fit squad ahead of Wednesday’s re-match against Newcastle in the fourth round of the League Cup at St James’ Park, with Wesley Fofana available despite landing awkwardly on his knee during the first half on Sunday.
The defender missed the entirety of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury but has impressed this term.
“He had a bad moment in the first half, but he’s a fighter,” Maresca said. “He played with pain. I really love Wes because it’s not easy after one year out to come back and be a fighter.”
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