Comeback: Enzo Maresca
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Enzo Maresca believes winning the Conference League this season would send a “statement” confirming that “Chelsea are back” after a few turbulent seasons.
Chelsea are competing in European football’s third-tier competition for the first time in their history and bidding to become the first club to have won all three major European competitions — having previously won the Champions League and Europa League — as well as the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
On Thursday, they welcome Djurgarden to Stamford Bridge in their semi-final second leg, with one foot already in the final after last week’s 4-1 win away to the side 11th in the Swedish league.
The Blues have been heavy favourites to win the Conference League since the start of the season, but Maresca is insistent that lifting the trophy in Wroclaw later this month would still send a “statement” to their rivals.
Having also won the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and every domestic trophy down the years, the Conference League is the only major competition the Blues have competed in but never won.
Real Madrid didn’t play the Conference League because it’s not their level. We play in the Conference League because that’s where we are
Enzo Maresca
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“It would be important, because we would be the only club in Europe [to win all four competitions],” Maresca said. “It’s important to start to build a winning mentality with this club.
“For me, winning a Conference League trophy this season is a statement where you can say ‘Chelsea is back’, because you win a trophy.
“If Real Madrid or different clubs didn’t play the Conference League, it’s because the Conference League is not the level they were at. If we play in the Conference League, it’s because that’s where we are.
“If you play in the Conference League, you cannot win the Champions League or the Europa League. The only trophy you can win is the Conference League.”
The Italian, who twice won the Europa League as a player with Sevilla, added: “We are going to try our best tomorrow to reach the final and then to reach the trophy. From there, it’s a good starting point to win games and trophies.
“The reality is we are in this competition. We need to win. In the future, we hope to be in different competitions.”
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Enzo Maresca
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