Maresca: Looking forward to fighting flamenco to attract fans

Turning Net reported on June 17 that Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC 2-0 in the first round of the Club World Cup. After the game, Chelsea coach Maresca was interviewed by the media and shared his views on this game and subsequent events.

Maresca first talked about the atmosphere on the game. He admitted: "The atmosphere and environment are a bit strange, and the stadium is almost empty. But we have no doubt that when the next game against Brazilian powerhouse Flamenco, it will attract many fans to watch the game, so the atmosphere in the next game will definitely be very good." This game was held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which can accommodate 71,000 people, but the attendance rate was less than 50%. The slightly deserted scene contrasts with Chelsea's status as a giant and the importance of the game. Maresca's expectations for the atmosphere in the next game also reflect his desire to lead the team forward in a warmer environment.

Speaking of the team's core Palmer, Maresca praised him: "After the Europa League final, Palmer said that he was a little tired of regular passes and receiving and decided to try to do something different. I told him at the time that you can do this from the first minute of the game, why wait until the back? We have always asked him to fully utilize his creativity because he has such ability, and we are very happy to see that he can do this. Palmer is undoubtedly one of the best players in our team and a top player." This season, Palmer played a key role in Chelsea's offensive end. His creativity and offensive talent helped the team break the deadlock many times. Maresca's trust and encouragement will further stimulate Palmer's potential.

Regarding the competition between the team's new forward player Drapp and Jackson, Maresca said: "I am very happy about this and I am curious about how Jackson will deal with the competitive pressure brought by Drapp. Jackson has been competing with the young Jiwu this season, and now the arrival of Drapp has made the competition more intense. But it has to be said that Jackson and Drapp are both outstanding No. 9 players, and this kind of healthy competition is very beneficial to the team." Drapp was active after appearing on the bench in this game, and gave Enzo a key assist, helping the team secure the victory and showing a good competitive state. His competition with Jackson on the front line will prompt the two to continue to improve and inject more vitality into the Chelsea forward line.

Chelsea has a good start in the Club World Cup group stage with the victory, and they will face Flamengo on June 20, with Maresca and his team rushing towards higher goals.