Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has expressed his immense pride after the Blues secured their spot in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16. Speaking after his side’s dominant performance, Maresca highlighted the significance of their achievement, particularly referencing the early exit of European counterparts like Atlético Madrid.
The Stamford Bridge club booked their place in the next stage with a convincing 3-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis. Goals from defender Tosin Adarabioyo, forward Liam Delap, and substitute Tyrique George sealed second place in Group D, setting up a clash with Benfica in Charlotte on Saturday.
Maresca reflected on the competitive nature of the tournament, stating, “It is important for us because 32 clubs are in this tournament, now 16. There are clubs in the last five or six years, they play Champions League final like Atlético Madrid and they are already in Spain.”
He added, “So we need to be proud, we need to be happy. And now, from the [top] 16, the target is to go to the first eight.” His comments underscore the challenge and prestige of progressing in the expanded Club World Cup format.
Delap’s Impressive Debut Goal
A standout moment in the win against Esperance was Liam Delap netting his first goal for Chelsea. The young forward, a recent £30 million signing from Ipswich Town, delivered an encouraging performance in the sweltering Philadelphia heat at Lincoln Financial Field.
Maresca praised Delap’s rapid adaptation, explaining, “We expect the process to be quite quick with Liam and the reason why he is because we know him and he knows us in the way we want to play.”
He contrasted Delap’s situation with other new or returning players, noting, “For Dário Essugo, for Mamadou [Sarr] or even for Andrey [Santos] who was with just the last pre-season, it is going to be a little bit more complicated because they don’t know the way we want to play exactly.”
However, Maresca reiterated his confidence in Delap: “But Liam as I said, we know each other very good so the process is quite quick and then it is also because he is a very good player.”
Squad Status for the Next Round
Despite competition rules allowing for potential squad adjustments ahead of the Round of 16, Maresca confirmed there are currently no plans to bring in new players.
Speculation had surrounded the potential involvement of defender Wesley Fofana, who has been training with the squad following hamstring surgery in April. But Maresca confirmed Fofana is not yet ready for competitive action.
“For Wes, he is here because he is trying to be with us, to recover with us but there is no chance he can be involved in the squad,” Maresca stated. He concluded by confirming, “At the moment there is not any plan to bring other players.”
