Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha and Jon Rudkin are the best people Enzo Maresca has met in football and the Chelsea boss would feel sorry for his old club Leicester City if they suffered relegation.
Maresca deepened City’s relegation fears with a 1-0 victory over Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side on Sunday afternoon. It means the gap to safety is now six points with 10 games to go.
But while Maresca wouldn't give his thoughts on why he felt City were struggling, he did heap the praise on the club’s owner and director of football.
It had initially seemed that Maresca had left the King Power Stadium on a sour note, having called for talks with the hierarchy over matters he "didn't like" within an hour of winning the Championship, and amid suggestions he wanted structural changes at the club.
But since taking over as Chelsea boss, he has been very complimentary about his former side.
“I really feel sorry for Leicester because I will always be thankful for them,” Maresca said.
“I met the best people in my life, in terms of football, in Leicester: the owner and the sporting director.
“I hope for Leicester that they’re going to be a Premier League club. Whether I’m surprised, it’s not my job. I’m not there. I’m thinking and focused just about Chelsea.
“But I really feel sorry in case they are not a Premier League club because the people are very good people, they care about you, care about the family, care about the kids.
“It’s so difficult to find these kinds of people in football so I hope for them and for you to stay in the Premier League.”
Maresca was seen hugging many of his former players on the pitch after the game, but only one got a mention in his post-match media duties.
Discussing Cole Palmer’s missed penalty, Mads Hermansen reading the spot-kick to save low to his left, Maresca said: “The Leicester keeper is brilliant and Cole is going to score more penalties and miss more.”
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