Maresca upbeat as Chelsea gear up for new campaign

Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca expressed confidence ahead of his second season at the West London club, as his team gears up for  the new campaign following their Club World Cup triumph and a flawless pre-season.

Chelsea clinched the Club World Cup in July with an emphatic 3-0 win over European champions Paris St Germain in the final and wrapped up their pre-season on Sunday with a commanding 4-1 victory over AC Milan at Stamford Bridge.

Their new forward signings, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, were both on the scoresheet against Milan, who were reduced to 10 men after defender Andrei Coubis was sent off in the 18th minute.

“I think the performance was very good until the red card. We started the way we wanted, intense and with a high tempo on and off the ball,” Maresca said on Saturday.

“The red card changed a little bit the game but it’s also normal as Milan started pre-season 40 days ago and this was their sixth friendly.”

Chelsea had earlier defeated Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in their opening pre-season friendly on Friday.

“It’s our second one (pre-season game). But overall I’m very happy, and now we start the Premier League,” the Italian added.

“I’m confident in general and excited. We have another long season ahead and we are going to try to do our best.”

Brazilian Pedro continued his goal-scoring exploits since joining Chelsea from fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in July, scoring his fifth goal in as many games for the Blues.

The 23-year-old was full of praise for his teammate Delap, who netted a brace against Milan.

“I don’t want to say competition, I think it is very good for Chelsea to have both strikers at a good level. In the last game, he did not score. Today, he scored two goals. I am very happy for him,” Pedro told Channel 5.

Chelsea host newly-crowned FA Community Shield winners Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener on August 17