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Enzo Maresca has hit back at Arne Slot after the Liverpool boss suggested that Chelsea should have won last season’s Premier League title.
The two sides look set to be involved in the race for this season’s crown, with the Reds getting the 2025/26 campaign underway later as they take on Bournemouth, while the newly-crowned world champions start at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Chelsea has been tipped by some to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish and challenge Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City for this season’s title, although Slot has suggested that it should have done better last season anyway.
Asked in an interview with talkSPORT whether he viewed Chelsea as a contender for this season’s title, Slot responded: “I expected them to win last season already.
“The amount of quality they have and they were there at the start of the season. They were in [the title race] after ten games. They were still there [in December].
“Squad depth, quality, they have a very good manager as well, and I think they’ve shown this by winning the trophies they won last season.
“It was good for us that they also had a period last season where they struggled and that’s why they couldn’t compete till the end for the league title.”
Chelsea was tipped as a potential title contender midway through last season after making an encouraging start to the campaign, having lost just twice in its opening 17 games.
A poor run of just two wins in 10 games stretching from December to February though saw the Blues drop out of the running, despite having spent big in each of the previous couple of summer transfer windows.
Slot’s comments were put to Maresca as the Chelsea boss spoke at his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s Premier League opener, with the Italian offering a blunt response.
“I don’t pay attention to what the other people say about us,” Maresca said. “It’s easy to say that more clubs are involved. I don’t like to play this kind of game.
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“I like to be focused on players, try to improve and then they can say what they want.”
Asked whether he feels his side is in a better position to challenge Liverpool this time around, Maresca added: “We are a better team for sure, compared to one year ago.
“The reason why is because we work together every day for one season. I think what the club, what the team achieved the first season has been top, fantastic.
“Finishing Champions League, Conference League, that was the competition we were in. The club worked hard.
“More than this, it was quite difficult to achieve something more. Now it’s a new season and we’ll see.”
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