the Chelsea News
·14 May 2025
“So you can’t slack really” – Chelsea player on life under “straight” Enzo Maresca so far

In partnership with
Yahoo sportsthe Chelsea News
·14 May 2025
One Chelsea player has been opening up on what life is like under “straight” Enzo Maresca at Chelsea so far this season.
The news comes after Chelsea went down 2-0 against Newcastle United away from home on Sunday lunch time in a crucial game for the race for Champions League football next season.
Chelsea needed to win this game as much as Newcastle did, but a first half sending off by Nicolas Jackson did not help their cause. Enzo Maresca has admitted that Jackson now needs to learn from this situation moving forward.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher now believes that Chelsea have a big problem after this defeat with just two games remaining of the season and the reality being that The Blues need two wins to guarantee a place in the Champions League for next season.
For Chelsea to have a successful season now, they must win these last two Premier League games in order to pretty much guarantee Champions League football for next season, it’s that simple for me.
Enzo Maresca inlayed on a Josh Acheampong shot. (Photo by Piotr Hawalej/Getty Images)
I think then the manager can be judged on what he has done at the club so far, because UCL football and winning the Conference League would certainly be a good achievement and some success for sure.
Maresca has not held back in praising youngster Josh Acheampong, going as far as to say he loves the defender.
It has pleased Acheampong, who goes on to say he likes that Maresca is firm but fair.
“It gives me a lot of confidence to be fair and I just want to repay him on the pitch,” Acheampong said about Maresca’s praise on Rising Ballers. “I think it works both ways [manager showing love but also being firm]. When you’re doing well, obviously you want your manager to say good things about you.
“But on the other hand, maybe in training if you’re not trying hard, you want someone to say fix up. He’ll tell you straight at the time. I think that’s needed, though. So you can’t slack really.”