Enzo Maresca backtracks on Chelsea top-four target after fan backlash
- Chelsea have fallen out of top four after miserable run of form across winter
- Maresca attracted criticism for claiming Champions League qualification was never the goal
- Fan outrage sparked renewed questioning ahead of Aston Villa clash
By Tom Gott
Enzo Maresca has assured fans that finishing in the top four is Chelsea's target this season after receiving a wave of criticism for downplaying the club's ambitions.
Chelsea were seen as outside contenders to win the Premier League title just a few months ago but, after a miserable run of just two wins from their last nine games in the competition, have now fallen outside the top four.
A 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out was particularly tough to take for supporters, many of whom were left furious after the game when Maresca claimed the club's target was not to qualify for the Champions League this year, but in 2025/26 instead.
Having faced plenty of fury from fans demanding higher standards, Maresca told his latest press conference that his sights are set firmly on the top four.
"We spent almost all of our season in the top four," he began. "Now we have just 13 games to go. The target for us is to finish in the top four, to finish in the best way.
"We are going to try to do our best to achieve that, knowing that the difficult moment we have now is probably because of the injury situation. We have five or six players – significant players – that are out. Arsenal have injuries. [Manchester] City have injuries. We are going to try our best to win games, even with the amount of injuries we have.
"I'm not here to survive, I'm here to win games. I'm here to bring this club to fight for titles. The problem is, when you win games, you look humble, and when you don't win games, you look like you lack ambition. Since day one, when I joined this club, my intention was to win games, win titles and to bring this club where this club deserves to be. I've said this since day one."
Maresca is not the only Chelsea figure to attract frustration. A group of fans are even planning a protest against the ownership and sporting directors, whose vision for the club has fallen well short of expectations.
"I'm ambitious," Maresca continued. "The club is ambitious. We have the same manager, same players, same owners and same sporting directors from two months ago when we were second in the league. Nothing has changed.
"The only thing that has changed is we are dealing with many injuries and this has affected a little bit the level of the team."
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