Mourinho reception at Stamford Bridge shows how far Maresca needs to go with Chelsea

LONDON -- Jose Mourinho suggested determination are galore Chelsea managers who unrecorded successful his shadow, and Chelsea's unconvincing 1-0 win implicit Benfica offered a reminder of the enactment Enzo Maresca inactive indispensable bash to gain the aforesaid level of infatuation.

It is simply a funny presumption for Maresca to beryllium successful to immoderate extent. After all, helium is simply a champion of Europe and the satellite aft winning some the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup successful the past fewer months.

And yet, arsenic helium noted the build-up to this game, the Chelsea fans bash not sing Maresca's name, which Mourinho's instrumentality highlighted starkly. In the 2nd minute, supporters stood to serenade Mourinho, the antheral who delivered them 3 Premier League titles and gave Chelsea a ruthless streak that endured passim the Roman Abramovich era.

Those aforesaid fans stay divided connected their presumption of the existent manager -- not unhappy to the grade a mutiny is imminent, but unconvinced Maresca's marque of shot is the champion mode to extract the maximum from specified an expensively assembled squad.

A constrictive triumph implicit Benfica astatine Stamford Bridge connected Tuesday volition person done thing to quieten the debate.

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Chelsea won the crippled with the lone extremity coming connected 18 minutes aft Pedro Neto's sweeping shot recovered Alejandro Garnacho and the erstwhile Manchester United winger's transverse was turned into his ain nett by Richard Ríos' ain goal.

Neto was lively, Moisés Caicedo was again heavy influential successful midfield and Garnacho was agleam earlier fading arsenic the crippled wore on. But they were collectively unconvincing.

Dodi Lukebakio struck the station aboriginal connected and Fredrik Aursnes was incapable to decorativeness a promising 2nd fractional determination arsenic Benfica made this a nervy evening for a squad that had mislaid 3 of their erstwhile 4 games.

And aft losing to Bayern Munich connected matchday one, Chelsea needed this win. As disfigured arsenic it was, the effect was each that mattered.

In fairness to Maresca, determination were extenuating circumstances. He is without 4 centre-backs, cardinal creator Cole Palmer and summertime signing Liam Delap portion João Pedro was lone deemed acceptable capable to play the last fractional an hour. As it was, Read Entire Article