Levi Colwill launches staunch defence of Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca amid recent criticism over the Italian’s patient playing style
- Enzo Maresca has faced criticism for some of Chelsea’s performances this term
- The Blues are in a tight seven-team battle to qualify for the Champions League
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! With the Premier League likely securing five Champions League spots, are we rewarding mediocrity?
Levi Colwill has launched a staunch defence of Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca amid harsh criticism over his style of play, saying outsiders do not realise how elite he is.
There have been complaints over Maresca’s patient philosophy, including some boos when Enzo Fernandez played one back pass during Sunday’s Premier League win over Leicester.
Chelsea will look to confirm their place in the Conference League’s quarter-finals on Thursday when Copenhagen visit Stamford Bridge aiming to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.
Colwill spoke with the media ahead of that clash, and immediately defended Maresca as he said: ‘The way he teaches us every day has been top. I really enjoy playing under him and I know everyone in the changing room does too. Over time, you’ll see us get better and better because of him. I love the way he plays football, I love the ideas he has. I think he’s amazing.
‘The ideas he brings in training to help us break teams down is all down to him. As a manager and a person, he’s top, he pushes us every day. He’s serious at times but he can also be a joker. He’s got a great balance, and you don’t want to go on the wrong side of him. He’s a top professional.’
With Thomas Tuchel naming his first England squad this week, Colwill added he has spoken with the former Chelsea boss, as he said: ‘I trained a few times with him and went on pre-season with him so I know he’s a top manager, a top guy and I’ve had a chat with him.
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has launched a staunch defence of head coach Enzo Maresca
The Blues secured a much-needed 1-0 win over Leicester City last weekend to move into the top four
The defender is hopeful of receiving a call up to Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad this week
‘Hopefully I can get called up for this camp coming up to play for England. It’s a dream come true for anyone and to keep playing for them feels as good as the first time. Hopefully I can get called up on Friday and we’ll go from there. He (Tuchel) is a really demanding manager. All the top ones are. They push their team and they want to get the best out of them and when he won the Champions League here, you see it, the high energy. He’s a great character to be around.’
Maresca added at his own press conference that he will not only be rooting for Chelsea to win in the Conference League but for Tottenham to claim a win in their Europa League last-16 second leg with AZ Alkmaar. English clubs doing well in Europe will help the Premier League confirm a fifth-placed finish would be enough to make it into the Champions League.
There is also the added bonus that if both Chelsea and Tottenham progress in their competitions, UEFA have confirmed the Blues’ quarter-final would see them play their first leg away and the second leg at home.
‘It’s an English team,’ Maresca said when asked about Spurs. ‘I hope for England they go through that game. You never know, sometimes it is better to play at home and sometimes away. We need to be focused on us and then we will see.’
