Maresca on stopping Newcastle “Isak is top but not enough” need to work as a team | OneFootball

Fresh from sealing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League final, Enzo Maresca is already looking ahead to a potentially defining Premier League clash at St James’ Park.

Chelsea face Newcastle United on Sunday in a battle between two teams neck and neck in the top-five race. Both sides are locked on 63 points, with just three league games left to play.

“It’s a big one, it’s a huge one,” Maresca said ahead of the game. “Now we have three more games, all of them are going to be big. For sure, Sunday is a chance to start in the right way.”

The Blues are on a three-match winning streak in the Premier League, their longest since December, and Maresca hopes the momentum can continue.

“We are in a good run, in a good mood,” he said. “Hopefully we can play a good game and win the game.”

The Italian downplayed the difficulty of refocusing after a European semi-final, stressing the need to reset immediately.

“Tomorrow we’re going to start to prepare Newcastle,” he said. “The players need to be focused on the Newcastle game because it’s the next one. It has to be like thinking that it’s the last game of the season — give everything.”

One issue Maresca must contend with is the early 12:00 kickoff, which leaves little time to recover and prepare. “It’s not ideal,” he admitted. “But we need to adapt immediately.”

He remained coy about his lineup plans but suggested the squad rotation used against Djurgarden would help. “We still have tomorrow and Saturday to prepare the game and then we’ll see,” he added.

Stopping Newcastle will require a collective effort, Maresca stressed, highlighting Alexander Isak’s threat but warning against focusing on individuals.

“Isak is a top player but it’s not enough,” he said. “There are more players, so we need to work as a team and stop them as a team.”

Maresca was complimentary of Newcastle’s physicality and pressing. “They are very aggressive, especially when we are on our side,” he noted. “Physically, they are very strong.”

He also reserved praise for Sandro Tonali, who he described as “a fantastic player”, but insisted Chelsea’s midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and the recently fit Romeo Lavia could form a powerful unit of their own.

The mission is clear for Maresca. “We need to win the games that we have,” he said. “Now is not the moment to think about what we should’ve done earlier. We’re focused on winning all three games.”

Chelsea’s push for the Champions League is alive — but Sunday could shape whether it stays that way.