Enzo Maresca believes that Chelsea has done more than enough to secure a top five finish in the Premier League.
However, the blues must beat Nottingham Forest on the city land on Sunday to be sure of their place in the Champions League of next season.
Forest is seventh, but knows that a victory would see them move above Chelsea, in what promises to be a fascinating struggle.
The London rivals of Chelsea, Tottenham, have secured their place in the Champions League by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final this week, and although Maresca is not frustrated that the 17th place traces are sure of their place in Uefa's Elite Club competition, he is not garded.
“I feel frustrated, not because of Tottenham,” he said, as quoted by the London Evening Standard.
“I feel frustrated, because when you see the data, we are the first or second club in creating opportunities.
“I am not thinking of Tottenham. If they start playing in the Champions League next season, it is because they have done something good and win the Europa League.
“The frustration is more because I think we have generally done enough to end the top four or top five. The figures are there, attacking and defensive. We are the third best defense in the competition, but we have the risk of not ending in the top four or top five.
“I feel frustrated because I think we have done enough offensive and defensive to end in the Champions League. But now we are here and we will try to end in the right way.”
Only Liverpool (228) has had more shots on goal this season than Chelsea (216) in the Premier League, their most in a season since 223 in 2019-2020.
In the meantime, Forest has had a fantastic season, although they would undoubtedly be disappointed to miss the Champions League, after they had occupied a place in the top five for so many of the campaign.
Nuno Espirito Santo is connected to a step away from the club to join Roma, but he spotted with speculation.
“Do you really think I'm going to waste time on that?” He answered when he was asked about the rumors.
“So much seems to be read, my most important focus is on preparing the team, trying to get the best solutions and details for the players. Nothing else. Nothing else.”
The last day. pic.twitter.com/ewnmraog6t
– Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) 22 May 2025
Players to watch
Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood
This season, Wood scored 20 Premier League goals, the most by a Nottingham Forest player in a season since Stan Collymore 22 scored in 1994-95.
The Kiwi has also scored four goals in five starts in the last match of his team of a season, with two against former club Burnley in 2023-24.
Chelsea – Cole Palmer
This season Palmer has created 87 chances in the Premier League, the most by a Chelsea player since Mason Mount in 2020-21 (87), with Eden Hazard in 2018-19 the last player with more (98).
He also had 125 shots, with those combined with his chances created (212) Most shots and opportunities created for the blues since Didier Drogba in 2010-11 (150 shots, 74 opportunities created).
Match forecast: Chelsea Win
Forest has won 19 Premier League matches this season, more than in 2022-23 and 2023-24 combined (18). They last won 20+ games in 1994-95 (22), while they have never done this in a 38-game top-flight season.
However, they only won one of their last seven Premier League matches against Chelsea (D3 L3) and in September 2023 they beat 1-0 on Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea won this exact fixture 3-2 last season. Only once did they win successive league matches against Forest and they defeated 3-2 in February 1912 and then 4-0 more than 10 years later (December 1922).
But the blues are Winless in the last three times that they ended their Premier League campaign with an away game, lost 3-0 to Newcastle United in 2017-18, with 0-0 in Leicester City in 2018-19 and 2-1 lost at Aston Villa in 2020-21.
Opta wins probability
Nottingham Forest – 31.4%
Chelsea – 43.4%
Drawing – 24.9%