Maresca calls on Chelsea fans to 'trust the process' as top-five hopes dwindle following draw with Ipswich

LONDON, April 17 — Enzo Maresca insists Chelsea are making progress, despite a troubling dip in form that threatens to see the club miss out on Champions League qualification for a third straight season.

A frustrating 2-2 home draw against relegation-threatened Ipswich on Sunday saw Chelsea drop to sixth in the Premier League. Only a top-five finish secures a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.

After a promising start under Maresca, Chelsea have won just five of their last 16 league matches, triggering unrest among fans unhappy with the Italian’s patient, possession-heavy tactics in his debut season.

Maresca appeared to suggest that the crowd's reaction may have influenced goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s decision to go long from a goal kick — a moment that led to Ipswich's second goal.

Despite back-to-back finishes of 12th and sixth in the previous two seasons, Maresca believes Chelsea are showing clear signs of improvement.

“Fans need to trust us — the team, the club, and the process,” he said yesterday, ahead of Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League quarter-final second leg against Legia Warsaw. “We’ve spent most of this season in the top four, which is a strong indicator that the team is progressing and doing things right.

“Is it enough? Not for me. I want to compete for Premier League titles and the Champions League. But we must also be realistic — this season, there’s progress, and the numbers show it.”

He acknowledged the current position is disappointing: “We’re not in the top five now, and we’re not satisfied. But we’ll keep pushing to get there. It shows we’re on the right path.”

With a 3-0 advantage from the first leg, Maresca could still end the season with silverware. He is expected to rotate his squad heavily against Legia Warsaw to focus on Sunday’s Premier League clash with local rivals Fulham. — AFP