2 hours ago
23
Enzo Maresca has just wrapped up his post-match press conference following his Chelsea side's 1-0 win against Benfica in the Champions League.
The Blues just about edged past the Portuguese side at Stamford Bridge with Richard Rios' own goal proving the difference on Tuesday evening. Joao Pedro was sent off in stoppage time after receiving his second yellow card of the match - a topic that was particularly prominent in Maresca's press conference.
And, with that being said, football.london has compiled everything the Chelsea head coach had to say and put it into a full transcript:
How important was the win?
We needed for sure the win, the three points, for different reasons. I think first-half we controlled the game, we scored the goal, we created more chances and we didn't concede nothing unless two or three transitions, that is normal. And then second-half, for different reasons, we dropped. I think we have some players on the pitch that unfortunately are not 100%, but they are playing because we have seven or eight players out. But also I think it was good to win tonight, in any case, even if sometimes you need to learn to win in an ugly way, like the last minutes of the game.
How frustrating is it that you got another red card?
At least we learned how to win the game with the red card, that was the first one. Anyway, it was just two or three minutes to play. And now we have Tyrique play as a No.9 tonight, we have [Marc] Guiu on the bench that can play as a No.9, now we have time before Ajax game. But yeah, as you said, unfortunately another red card that we need to avoid.
Have you spoken to the players about avoiding the red cards?
I always like to see one-v-one [meetings with players]. I think Newcastle and Flamengo red card, they were for bad action. Then Sanchez [red card] is not for a bad action, it's just because he wants to defend the goal. Chalobah is because he wants to defend the goal. And tonight I think the second yellow card, Joao didn't even touch the other player, but the dynamic of the action is dangerous one. So for me personally, there is not any concern or any issue. It's just a moment that probably you need to take a different reason and avoid, for instance, Robert's after two, three minutes. Or even the other day, Brighton, 50 minutes.
Sometimes it's better to concede the goal or the chance because then it's 11v11, you have 40 more minutes. So for me personally, there is not any problem behind.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Fitness and injury problems affecting the rhythm?
Very difficult, very difficult, very hard, very difficult. Again, because the ones that they play, there is a big risk that they can get injured because they are the ones that are playing a lot. For instance, we lost from Brighton Andrey Santos, who will be out until after the international break. We have seven, eight players out unfortunately for us in this moment. So it's difficult because also we struggled to repeat the same 11, but it's what it is. We need to adapt and we try to win games. That's why it was so important tonight to win and also was the other day important, but unfortunately we didn't win. Now we focus on Saturday.
Important to qualify in top eight of Champions League?
Yes, absolutely. First of all, the target is to continue the next stage, but if we are able to finish top four, that is very good for us. Now we have six more games. We see if we are able to recover also players, that for us is so important. But now the focus is more for Saturday's game. Then we have the international break that we are waiting because we can have players back. You see tonight Benoit Badiashile, he was very good. So if we are able to recover players, that's what we need.
Impressed with Alejandro Garnacho?
Yes, tonight we start with Garna, that probably was the first game that he started. Ty is a No.9, and we know that he's not a No.9. Facu Buonanotte played an important role tonight. That's why for me tonight it's a nice feeling that it was important to win for different reasons. Injuries and the players that they are new with us. Garna was very good. I think [Jamie] Gittens also, he tried in the last 20 minutes when he was on. Both are going to be better and better game after game.
English (US) ·