The Blues kick off their Premier League campaign against Manchester City on Sunday.
Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, has indicated that the club's ownership has not set Champions League qualification as a goal for his inaugural season. Instead, they are focusing on achieving long-term success while aiming to recoup their substantial investment of GBP 1.2 billion in the team. Maresca, who succeeded Mauricio Pochettino in June, is the third permanent manager appointed in a span of two years since Todd Boehly's Clearlake Capital consortium acquired the club.
He will commence his management against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with the objective of surpassing last season's sixth-place finish. Despite a challenging season, the campaign concluded positively, with the team securing five consecutive league victories, which granted them a spot in this season's Europa Conference League. However, this performance was insufficient to retain Pochettino, who departed by mutual agreement shortly thereafter, having been unable to mount a serious challenge for a top-four finish.
MD1 prep. 🧠 pic.twitter.com/b0IR9R3W1c
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 16, 2024
This marks the second consecutive season in which Chelsea will not participate in Europe's premier club competition, having previously experienced such an absence only twice in the past two decades. The team concluded the 2022/23 season in 12th place, thereby failing to secure any European qualification. Despite significant investment in player recruitment, which has seen over GBP 160 million allocated this summer for nine new signings,
Maresca emphasized that his role is not contingent upon an immediate return to Europe's elite. "My vision is for a club that seeks balance," he stated. "During our discussions, the club repeatedly expressed a desire for balance and a commitment to building something substantial over the next five to ten years. "I can assure you that no one at the club has demanded a Champions League qualification this year.
There has been no insistence on finishing in the top four. "What they conveyed to me is the necessity to progress gradually and to compete effectively. Certainly, if you were to ask me about my aspirations, it would be to contend with the teams currently dominating English football. That is my ambition. "However, we also recognize that bridging that gap is not an instantaneous process. It requires dedicated training and effort.
I can only reiterate that no one from the club has indicated that finishing in the top four this season is a prerequisite for success." Following their match against City, the team will make its debut in the Conference League on Thursday, facing Swiss club Servette at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the play-off round.
This situation stands in stark contrast to three years ago when Thomas Tuchel's squad triumphed over Pep Guardiola's team in Porto, securing the Champions League trophy for the second time in nine years. Maresca has made it clear that his immediate objectives are more modest as he aims to realign the club's trajectory.
🔙 in action this month. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4txrkECpaA
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 16, 2024
The objective is to instill a sense that we are progressing appropriately, he stated. "I believe this is an excellent aim. "The owner, the sporting directors, the manager, and the players all share the same vision that we are on the right path. "Indeed, everyone, the trajectory is positive. If we do not achieve success at this moment, it will come within a month, two months, or a year. However, we will be very near to it in the near future."
