Enzo Maresca has enjoyed success at both Chelsea and Leicester City, and the Italian has taken inspiration from one legend of the game to get to where he is today.
At Chelsea, Maresca was able to win the Conference League last season, while he also guided the Blues to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
During his time at Leicester, the 45-year-old took the Foxes back to the English top flight. Maresca has not been a manager for long, but he has already achieved a lot.
However, Maresca has been warned by Dean Saunders that Chelsea fans could get on his back if his team do not play good football next term.
Enzo Maresca celebrates Real Betis Balompie v Chelsea FC - UEFA Conference League Final 2025
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Enzo Maresca had Johan Cruyff quote written on walls of Chelsea dressing room
Barcelona and Ajax legend Johan Cruyff is an inspiration for a lot of managers, and it is no different for Maresca.
So inspired by the former Netherlands international, Maresca has put up one of his quotes on the walls of Chelsea’s dressing room.
“I had it written on the walls of the Leicester City dressing room two summers ago, and we won the Championship.” the Chelsea boss told Corriere della Sera. “Of course, I did it at Chelsea, too, and it didn’t go badly this year either.”
Next season, Maresca will be hoping to replicate one of the feats the late Cruyff achieved when he was manager of Barcelona.
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Back in the 1991/92 season, Cruyff led Barcelona to the Champions League trophy, which was the old European Cup at the time.
Maresca will get the chance to do the same next term after Chelsea managed to qualify for the competition after a two-year absence. Maresca wanted Chelsea to sign Mike Maignan, who could have helped them challenge for it, but they could not agree on a fee with AC Milan for his signature.
Johan Cruijff coach of Barcelona looks on during the Champions League round 1 match between FC Barcelona and Viking Stavanger
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What Johan Cruyff said
The quote from Cruyff that Maresca has used is about how long a player spends on the ball during a game and what he does out of possession.
Cruyff’s words were relayed by Corriere della Sera in their interview with Maresca. “It is statistically proven that during a match, a player’s average ball possession is three minutes. This means that his value is determined by what he does in the other 87 minutes.”
It is a reminder to the Chelsea dressing room that what they do when they are without the ball is arguably more important than what they do with it.