Enzo Maresca says this season ‘has already been an improvement’ for Chelsea regardless of how they finish | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca says Chelsea have undoubtedly improved on recent seasons given the amount of time they have spent in the Champions League qualification places during this campaign.

Prior to Chelsea’s game against Everton on Saturday, the Blues sit in sixth in the Premier League and in a heavily contested battle for Champions League qualification.

But Maresca says that regardless of how his side finish, this season has already represented improvement for the club.

“Compared to the last two years this has not been a failure,” he said. “How many times in the last years have Chelsea been in the Champions League? Zero. How many times this season? Almost all season. Is it an improvement or not?

“This season is already an improvement because we spend all season in there [the qualification positions], now we’re going to try our best to finish there.

“We are happy to finish there. Is it enough? No, because we want to compete for titles, but compared to the last two years it’s quite clear there’s an improvement.

“If you want to see it, you see it, if you don’t want to see it, you don’t see it. It depends which way. I see that.”

“That doesn’t mean we are not going to try and finish top five. That’s our target. Since March we’ve said our target is Champions League. We’re going to try until the end, unfortunately now we are behind, we need to try and finish well.”

With difficult fixtures upcoming against champions-elect Liverpool, and European-chasing rivals Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, it will be no easy feat for Chelsea to finish in the top five, but nonetheless, Maresca thinks there has been progress.

A win could take the Blues up to fourth, joint on points with Nottingham Forest and ahead of the midlands side on goal difference, but a resurgent Everton stand in their way.

Chelsea’s recent dip in form has seen some backlash from their fanbase and Maresca addressed their discontent: “I can understand. We are trying to keep them happy. I think the fans are the same that (some) time ago they were thinking that Chelsea is back, they were happy.

“Because we’re not winning the same amount of games they are showing they are not happy. We need to accept then, and now.

“The players are working hard everyday to bring this club to where it has to be.”