Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is getting a lot of praise back home in Italy, which is hardly a surprise.
Maresca has just guided Chelsea to the Conference League trophy after his side were able to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the final on Wednesday.
It comes after the Blues secured Champions League qualification on the last day of the Premier League season.
Maresca’s mentor and Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini was left feeling “very bitter” after the Conference League final, but Chelsea deserved to win the game in the end. And the Italian media think they have their manager to thank for that.
Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images
Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images
Pellegrini felt bitter about the result because Betis were the better side in the first half. It was the Spanish side who took the lead through Abde Ezzalzouli, who gave Malo Gusto a torrid time.
However, Chelsea came back with a vengeance in the second half and managed to turn the game around.
Gusto was taken off at the break, being replaced by Reece James, while goalscorer Jadon Sancho, Levi Colwill, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Guiu were all eventually introduced.
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Maresca has since been praised by the Italian media for making those changes after realising things were not working.
Tuttomercatoweb wrote: “Great credit to Maresca, who showed he knows how to read the game: after making the wrong initial choices, he was able to make up for it in the second half with changes and an aggressive attitude that paid off.”
The Chelsea boss also moved Cole Palmer to the right and was rewarded for it. It was the 23-year-old who set up the team’s first two goals with a couple of excellent crosses.
While the Italian media were impressed with Maresca, the Spanish media were awestruck by Palmer.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Enzo Maresca has been a success at Chelsea
Heading into this season, the main goal for Maresca would have been qualifying for the Champions League. His Chelsea side have now done that and have also managed to win a trophy along the way.
Not everyone is a fan of the 45-year-old. Maresca was recently criticised by Alan Pardew for his style of football.
At the end of the day, though, Maresca has achieved his objectives so should be viewed as a success.