“It wasn’t meant to happen that way” — Maresca on Chelsea loss

Chelsea did survive a scare in Switzerland as Thursday night rivals in the Europa Conference League play offs nearly put the Blues through the sword.

The West London side avoided elimination despite a facing a narrow 2-1 defeat from Servette in the return leg of the play offs. Chelsea who last weekend had the luck of a 2-0 score line, were thankful enough that the tie ended in a 3-2 aggregate score in favour of them after the Blues survived a 2-1 defeat.

After a confident start, with Christopher Nkunku putting the Blues ahead, Chelsea’s composure wavered, allowing Servette to turn the game on its head. Yet, amidst the tension, the Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca found a silver lining in the performance of 18-year-old Tyrique George.

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Subbed in at the 62nd minute, George’s fearless display caught Maresca’s eye, earning him high praise from the Chelsea boss.

“He was good! He was not shy. He had personality,” Maresca remarked, reflecting on the youngster’s impact. “It’s important to build something with the academy players.”

However, reflecting on the game, Maresca admitted his worries, saying, “I was very concerned about this game… it was probably their biggest of the season.”

Despite the defeat, Maresca’s focus on nurturing young talent is clear as Chelsea looks ahead to the group stages, where these budding stars could prove pivotal.