Enzo Maresca gave his thoughts on Barcelona, the next Champions League opponents for Chelsea.
The Blaugrana scooped a domestic treble under Hansi Flick last campaign, and even though things have been more difficult this season, they are still a very enterprising offensive outfit with some of the best attackers in the world. The Blues will have an uphill battle at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
“They're spectacular, it's a team that whenever I look at it there are things that can be learned, things that can be looked at, how they attack, how they defend, which in the end has given them the chance to win La Liga last year, to get to the Champions League semi-final. They do a lot of things well and it's a team that always wants initiative, always wants value and we try to do the same on our side.
“The high line is a factor for sure, but as you said I think we need to pay attention also off the ball, because the idea that they create all the chances, they score goals always, so we need the right balance between attacking and defending.
*“Of course Barcelona loses to Pedri, not only to Barcelona, but also to football, because of the quality of the football, which I think is incredible. Then about Enzo Fernandez, since I arrived here I have always considered him a fundamental and important player, at the beginning it took him a while to understand what he had to do, but then he has become an important player for us on the field.*
*“[**Robert Lewandowski**] is a fantastic player, he showed all his life that he does the most important thing in football, he scores goals, we want to try to defend, like a team, aggressive in the way we try always to defend, but Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, it's Fermin Lopez, it's Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong, there are so many players, but at the same time we are going to try and win the game.”*