If you ever doubted Enzo Maresca and this young Chelsea team’s ability to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge, well, he has just one small request.
It’s not much—just a polite, strongly-worded invitation to kindly “f*** off.”
That was the unmistakable message from the Chelsea boss following a gritty 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on the final day of the Premier League season—a result that sealed fourth place and a long-awaited return to Europe’s elite competition. After two years away from the Champions League, Maresca’s defiant tone wasn’t just about celebration—it was about silencing doubters.
“I didn’t have any doubt about the players. The doubt was from outside,” Maresca said post-match. “All the ones that have the answers or the ones that have the truth, they were saying that we are too young, we are not good enough, they were waiting for Aston Villa to drop points for us to achieve the Champions League. They were saying that we were not able to win on this pitch because we are too young, because we are not experienced.
“Unfortunately for them, they have all been wrong. All the ones that have the truth and have the answer to everything. So in English, how you say? F*** off to all of them, because the players deserve that. The effort they have been doing is fantastic.”
It was a fiery response from a manager completing his first top-flight campaign, and one that underlined the significance of the achievement. Chelsea started the final day of the season in fifth place, needing both a win and a slip from Aston Villa to leap into the top four. Against the odds—and after months of inconsistency—they delivered.
The win was only Chelsea’s second away victory in their last 11 Premier League matches. It was also their first win and clean sheet away from home since September—against a Nottingham Forest side that had held or beaten Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool this season. Levi Colwill’s scrappy goal made the difference, while Forest squandered several chances of their own.
But perhaps the most telling statistic lies in the age and experience of this Chelsea side. The average age of their starting XI this season was just 24 years and 36 days—the youngest in Premier League history. Maresca has been tasked not just with rebuilding a team, but with shaping a squad largely devoid of seasoned leaders. Despite the turbulence, his side held their nerve when it mattered most.
“Twelfth two seasons ago, sixth last season, fourth this season, with probably the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League,” Maresca noted. “City lost here, Arsenal drew here, Liverpool drew here. Chelsea won. It’s not easy. The players showed how good they are.”
For Chelsea’s owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, who joined the players and staff on the pitch to celebrate, the result marked a milestone moment. Under their stewardship, previous managers Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, and Mauricio Pochettino failed to bring the club back to the Champions League. Maresca has now done what they could not.
While many questioned his tactical approach throughout the season, especially during poor spells of form, Maresca insisted the club’s internal confidence never wavered.
“I am very happy for many reasons,” he said. “The players deserve this. Since day one they have been working very hard. With the club, the supporters, the owners, the sporting directors—we all go in the same direction. The noise was more from outside than from inside.”
Indeed, it’s been a campaign defined by contrast. Moments of brilliance often collided with frustrating inconsistencies. But securing Champions League football not only validates Maresca’s leadership—it sets the stage for what could be a pivotal summer.
With European nights returning to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea now have the leverage to attract higher-calibre signings and accelerate their rebuild. For a club that used to challenge for top honours year after year, this feels like a crucial step back in the right direction.
Yet, for all the celebration, Maresca knows the real question now looms: where do Chelsea go from here?
His answer, at least for now, is simple—upwards. And as for those who never believed they’d even make it this far? Well, you already know what he’d like to say.
Sources
- https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/13374693/chelsea-boss-enzo-maresca-revels-in-champions-league-qualification-and-fires-back-at-critics
- https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2025/5/26/24437200/never-in-doubt-says-enzo-maresca-about-thing-that-was-very-much-in-doubt
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2025/5/26/24437200/never-in-doubt-says-enzo-maresca-about-thing-that-was-very-much-in-doubt
