Enzo Maresca enjoyed Chelsea's Champions League qualification and told those who have doubted him and his young side to have “f *** off”.
Despite the fact that it was only won on the road in the Premier League since Christmas – and it scored only five goals – Chelsea conquered their way -day Blues to beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 on the city on Sunday.
The result achieved a Champions League place for the first time since Thomas Tuchel led them to third place in 2022 – and led to a bullish response from Maresca.
“I had no doubt about the players. The doubt was from outside,” said the head coach, who took the lead on his first top campaign.
“All those who have the answer and the truth, they said we were too young, we were not good enough.
'They waited for [Aston] Villa to drop points if we wanted to reach Champions League.
“They said we couldn't win on this field because we were too young and not experienced.
“Unfortunately for them they are all wrong, all who have the truth and the answer for everything. So in English I will say 'eff' to everyone.”
After three seasons, Chelsea first returned to the top table in Europe among the current owners, and Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were on the field to celebrate with the staff and players on full -time.
Maresca pointed out that he reached what Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino could not do during their time that was in charge and said: “Two -seasons ago, sixth last season, this season, with probably the youngest team in the History of the Premier League.”
He added: “[Manchester] City lost here, Arsenal pulled here, Liverpool pulled here. Chelsea won. It's not easy. The players showed how good they are.
“Unfortunately we are in a company where people – you – judge us because of the results. Today if we couldn't win the game, you would probably all judge this season as a disaster.”
Maresca added that, despite criticism of his tactics and comments from supporters and the media this season, his position was never doubt.
“I am very happy for many reasons. The players have earned it, since the first day they work very hard. With the club, the supporters, the owners, the sporting directors, the players – we all go in the same direction.
“The sound was more from outside than from the inside.”
Maresca delivered – but what comes next will define success or failure
Analysis of Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
The last day of Chelsea – who confirmed the qualification of the Champions League – was the first time that the side of Enzo Maresca had won a clean sheet since September and loved a clean sheet of home. A crazy statistics that summarize a confused campaign.
In the day almost everything was tensioned to serve Chelsea. Levi Colwill scored a filthy goal. Chris Wood missed a few sitters, and as the frustration around the city grew, the youngsters of Maresca bound together to keep them cool.
The average age of Chelsea's starts XI in the competition this season was 24 years and 36 days – the youngest ever. Sometimes it has really been demonstrated. Maresca is a first Premier League manager who tries to guide a group without leaders and figureheads. And yet, after an absence of two years, Chelsea is back at the top table in Europe.
Maresca has cut his work away to make this team look like something that is almost coherent. But the lure of Champions League football will help this summer to attract the right auxiliary caliber of help. It feels like an important and necessary building block in the restoration of a club that previously challenged the highest honor year after year.
The real question remains: where can they go from here?