Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on the challenge of facing Brentford in the Premier League, the need for players to recover fitness between games and the race for European qualification
Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Stamford Bridge, London, UK
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00:00Alex, do you want to get us started?
00:09Yeah, no, for sure it will be very tough. You see last night they lost Newcastle away,
00:16but it was a tough game. But I think from now on, every game they're going to be tough.
00:22How difficult is it for you having two days to prepare?
00:27It's difficult. It's difficult. We are probably the only team, us and Tottenham,
00:32I don't know if they play Sunday or I don't know when they play.
00:36So for us it will be more difficult, but now it's also a matter of how we manage the tightness.
00:45We need to recover energy and we need to go again on Sunday.
00:49Do you feel like the team will be galvanised after the win against Goliath?
00:55Yeah, for sure it's much better to win and to prepare for the next game.
00:58Every time you win the next game, most of the time it's better preparation.
01:03Hopefully from this game we can build momentum, knowing that every game will be difficult until the end.
01:12What did you ask about Adam Westbrook?
01:16Nothing. A muscle problem a few days ago and we are waiting for some more checks.
01:21Is that a blow because Fred has been especially physical and you've lost Ramir and Fabiano,
01:26they're two of your most physical players. Is that something that's going to be hard to cope with?
01:32If I'm not wrong, I think in the first leg at home, both of them were injured.
01:37We played with Tosin, Levi, Trevor, I think if Trevor was here, I don't remember.
01:41But even in the first game they were not here and we deal quite well,
01:44knowing that for sure they are physically strong and we're going to try to do our best.
01:50Is there scope for the defenders to maybe step up in the stands to help people like Josh and players like that?
01:55Yeah, I love Josh but in his right moment, for sure if we need him, he's ready to play.
02:04You've won five of your last six competitions, even though some of the performances haven't been the best you've had this season.
02:13They say that performances don't matter quite so much in the final match of the season as long as the results are there.
02:20Is that how it feels now? Are we that close to the end of the season now? It's just about getting over the line.
02:27Yeah, now the target is to try to finish where we have been all season.
02:32Because I think all season, probably the first five, six months, because we were second, we were there,
02:39probably the expectation changed a little bit.
02:41But I think overall, all season we have been top four, top five, we have been there.
02:45And we're going to try our best to finish there.
02:48And then, again, in terms of performance, for me every game is different.
02:53Tonight's performance, probably for you, is better compared to previous performances.
02:57But in some performances I was also happy because I know how difficult it is sometimes to break the low block when they sit back.
03:08Simon?
03:20No, no. For Sunday's out.
03:25We don't know yet. We are waiting for both.
03:29Romeo looks a little bit better injury compared to Wes.
03:34In terms of probably, Romeo can be back earlier than Wes.
03:40Both same problem. Muscle problem.
03:43Is it a concern that you keep breaking down? We're getting close to the end of the season now.
03:51He's now getting to the stage where it's difficult for him to get a run of games together.
03:56Yeah, no. If you compare Romeo games this season to last season, he already improved.
04:04Because this season was difficult to go in the other way.
04:10But the target with Romeo is just to try to keep him fit as much as we can.
04:15And next year play more games than this season.
04:18We are trying to do the same. It's not the same situation but more or less a similar situation.
04:23We are trying to do the same with Rhys James. Rhys tonight was on the bench.
04:28Rhys is our best player or probably one of our best players.
04:32Why he was on the bench? It's because we tried to take care of him.
04:37We know that in this moment he cannot play every three days.
04:40And hopefully soon he can start to play every three days.
04:42But the main target with him, with Romeo, with Wes is to keep them fit.
04:47Because we know how important they are for us.
04:50Enzo scored again tonight. He scored again during the international break.
04:54Is that something he's getting better at all the time?
04:56Was it a touch of Frank Lampard that came into the box tonight?
05:00Yeah, no. I think since we started, Enzo is improving a lot.
05:05His understanding of the game is completely different now.
05:09He knows where he has to stay. He knows where he has to arrive in the box.
05:13And I think most of the goal he scored this season with us is because he was in the right position.
05:18Even with the international team, the goal was more or less similar.
05:21So we are very happy in the way Enzo is improving.
05:24Is that why Lampard used to time his right entrance into the box so well?
05:28Do you feel there's something similar about it, Enzo?
05:31I think Enzo is a good player for us. We are happy with Enzo.
05:35But Frank was a different kind of player in this moment.