Enzo Maresca was offered precious advice by Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti following his Chelsea head coach appointment.
Chelsea and Real Madrid met in the United States back in August during pre-season at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, which saw Ancelotti’s side come out 2-1 winners to ensure the Blues ended their tour on a losing note.
Maresca was getting to grips with his Chelsea squad after his summer arrival at Stamford Bridge, which saw many players depart and several added to his team for him to work with.
One manager who knows what it is like to win at Chelsea is Ancelotti, who managed the club between July 2009 and May 2011 before being dismissed by former owner Roman Abramovich. During his time in west London, Ancelotti won the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield.
Maresca will be hoping to have similar success under the new Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership, who have afforded him the opportunity to take the talent side forward.
The 44-year-old currently has Chelsea placed in third in the Premier League heading into the November international break. They are also going strong in the Conference League, winning all three of their League Phase matches.
Maresca is taking it game by game, not wanting to focus too far into the future, and it is currently paying off as a favourable run of league fixtures awaits them, offering Chelsea a golden opportunity to get points on their board in their quest for Champions League qualification.
Ancelotti has been there and done it wherever he has managed. During the summer when the Italian duo met in Charlotte, the 65-year-old had some advice for Maresca which he believed could really elevate Chelsea to a strong and fun campaign.
As reported by Guillem Balague, Ancelotti whispered in Maresca’s ear, saying: “Drop your defence back about 10 yards and you should have fun this year.”
It’s suggested Maresca ‘told him that it was a legacy of the past, and that things would be corrected to fit his ideas and style’.
Maresca’s tactical approach and stamp is already clear to see on this Chelsea side. They are in the early stages, but progress is being made. How much is subjective, but they’re on an upwards trajectory.
As the 44-year-old continues to find his feet, Maresca will continue to fall in love with the group of players he has already grown to be extremely fond of. If this is a sign of more to come, it’s an excellent start.
“I have one of the best squads in the Premier League, I have no doubt about this,” Maresca said after Chelsea’s draw against Manchester United. “Since I arrived, the first thing I said to the club is that I was in love with the squad and this squad is very good.”
