Chelsea’s Coach Enzo Maresca Hails Acheampong After Conference League Win

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca praised defender Josh Acheampong following his team’s impressive 3–0 victory over Legia Warsaw in the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg on Thursday.

Jose Acheampong showcased his abilities by playing the entire match as Chelsea delivered a commanding performance against the Polish side. Tyrique George initiated the scoring, followed by a brace from Noni Madueke, contributing to the team’s success.

After the match, Maresca expressed his admiration for Acheampong: “I have a great deal of appreciation for Josh Acheampong. I believe he has the potential to become a top player for Chelsea. He is versatile and open to learning, which is a tremendous asset. Whether playing as a full-back or in another position, he is eager to develop. That attitude is invaluable.”

Chelsea will face Legia Warsaw again in the return leg at Stamford Bridge next week, but before that, Maresca’s squad will prepare for their upcoming Premier League match against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca explained his decision to substitute Cole Palmer during halftime in the match against Legia Warsaw. Despite starting the match, Palmer did not return for the second half, following a challenging first 45 minutes for the team.

Maresca opted to replace both Palmer and Tosin Adarabioyo with Noni Madueke and Levi Colwill, a strategy that ultimately paid off. George opened the scoring shortly after, with Madueke quickly adding two more goals to secure the win.

After the match, Maresca clarified that the substitutions were part of a pre-planned strategy: “We had anticipated that both he and Tosin would come off at halftime. Everything went as intended. We designed the game plan to maximize our best players’ performances while also allowing for rest and energy recovery.”