Enzo Maresca believes that winning the final of Wednesday would confirm the status of Chelsea as an important club on the European stage.
After the qualification of Champions League sealed by Nottingham Forest 1-0 on the last day of the Premier League season, Chelsea has the chance to limit Maresca's debut campaign with silverware.
The blues could be the first team in history that four different large UEFA tournaments win, excluding the Super Cup.
Chelsea has won the Cup Winners' Cup (in 1971 and 1998), the Champions League (2012, 2021) and the Europa League (2013, 2019), each twice.
And although they were installed as overwhelming favorites to eliminate the Conference League trophy at the start of the season, Maresca believes that a victory would be an important achievement.
“The message in the last 48 hours is that we have done something important, but if we want to confirm that we are becoming an important club again, we must show the desire to win the game and the trophy,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“So it's done in the Premier League, fantastic, and we are happy. But tomorrow is another game, a final, and we want to win at all costs.
“Every day we undoubtedly have something to prove. What we have done is. Now we have to prove ourselves again tomorrow.
“We played many matches in this competition this season, now we only have one.”
Including Maresca, each of the last seven Chelsea managers have done the lead for a major European final in their first season in the club.
They were Gianluca Vialli (who won the Cup Winners' Cup 1997-1998), Avram Grant (Lost 2007-08 Champions League), Roberto di Matteo (won 2011-12 Champions League), Rafael Benitez (won 2012-13 Europe League) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio) and Maurizio)) and Maurizio)) and Maurizio)) and Maurizio))) and Maurizio League League)))))))))))))))))) and Maurizio League League))))))). (won 2020-21 Champions League).
The position of Maresca was questioned in different stages of the season, and the Italian was asked if he still had something to prove the Stamford Bridge Faithful.
“Certainly, for me personally, but the message to the players is exactly the same,” he replied. “Every day is an opportunity to improve and we want to compete for titles.”
A European final wait … pic.twitter.com/WZ4reg9en
– Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) 27 May 2025
Chelsea will have striker Nicolas Jackson back for Wednesday's final, with the Senegal International missing their last two games of the domestic season due to suspension, after a red card in a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United.
Maresca expects Jackson to have a fine for his broadcast in Wroclaw and says: “Nico is in debt with his teammates.
“The reason is that at that time Newcastle Away was the most important game for us and he left his teammates with 10 players for an hour.
“Certainly, he has the debts. He is certainly a good guy. Certainly, he recognized the mistake.
“He apologized with his teammates. That is very important. I am sure he will do a very good game for us.”