Enzo Maresca’s Arsenal priority admission makes Chelsea’s Conference League stance clear | OneFootball

Chelsea‘s full focus is on their Conference League last-16 clash against Copenhagen on Thursday night.

It’s 10 finals left for Chelsea in the Premier League this season along with their Conference League campaign, which sees Maresca’s side with one foot in the quarter-finals.

After a 2-1 victory in Copenhagen last week in the first leg, Chelsea are in a commanding position for Thursday night’s reverse tie at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are expected to win the competition this season, with the Blues vying for Champions League qualification for next season via the Premier League.

They currently occupy fourth place, with up to fifth place expected to be enough as England are set to claim five qualification spots for the 2025-26 season.

However, a tricky run awaits. It starts on Sunday with an away trip across the capital to face London rivals Arsenal.

IMAGO / Michael Barrett Boesen

Chelsea are building momentum at an important stage of the season. Three wins in a row in all competitions - Southampton, Copenhagen and Leicester City - and the positive feeling is back in west London within the camp.

Despite big tests awaiting Chelsea in the coming days, weeks and months, Maresca's priorities have not moved, not one inch. He's focused on day by day and game by game, starting with Thursday's tie against Copenhagen.

Once Thursday's affair concludes, it will be then when the Italian finally switches his focus to the trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal, who currently are in second place in the Premier League.

"The priority is tomorrow," an adamant Maresca told reporters on Wednesday when previewing Copenhagen. "For us, the priority is tomorrow because it is the next one and the most important one. After tomorrow, we will start to think about Arsenal, but for sure we will be focused on tomorrow's game."

Maresca outlines Copenhagen expectations

Copenhagen caught Chelsea off guard following a tactical switch ahead of the first leg. It has left Maresca questioning how Jacob Neestrup's side will set up at Stamford Bridge.

"I was surprised, as I said last week because I watched many games, they were off the ball always defending with a line of four and then against us, they were in a line of five," said Maresca. "Even in their game two days ago, they were again a line of four. The reason why we were a little bit surprised was because of that, but then we tried to adapt.

"(On Thursday), to be honest, I do not know if they are going to be in one way or another way. We will see."