Enzo Maresca has hit back at Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s claim that Chelsea should have won the Premier League last season.
The Italian masterminded an impressive campaign which saw the Blues secure Champions League qualification with a silver lining provided by a Conference League triumph.
Chelsea subsequently added the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet earlier this summer and are in justifiably confident mood having spent lavishly again in the transfer market.
Maresca’s squad will be expected to maintain a title challenge this time around having led the way up until Christmas last time around and Slot considers Chelsea a genuine threat.
‘I expected them to win last season already,’ the Liverpool boss told talkSPORT when asked if he viewed Chelsea as title contenders.
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‘The amount of quality they have and they were there at the start of the season. They were in [the title race] after ten games. They were still there [in December].
‘Squad depth, quality, they have a very good manager as well, and I think they’ve shown this by winning the trophies they won last season.
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‘It was good for us that they also had a period last season where they struggled and that’s why they couldn’t compete till the end for the league title.’
Maresca was asked about Slot’s flattery ahead of Sunday’s opening game against Crystal Palace and gave his counterpart short shrift.
‘I don’t pay attention to what the other people say about us,’ he said, bluntly.’ It’s easy to say that more clubs are involved. I don’t like to play this kind of game.
‘I like to be focused on players, try to improve and then they can say what they want.’
Pressed on whether he felt his side were in a better place to compete with Liverpool and the rest, he added: ‘We are a better team for sure, compared to one year ago.
Premier League 2025-26 opening weekend
Friday 15 August
20:00 Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth (Sky Sports)
Saturday 16 August
12:30 Aston Villa v Newcastle United (TNT Sports)
Brighton & Hove Albion v Fulham
Sunderland v West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley
17:30 Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City (Sky Sports)
Sunday 17 August
14:00 Chelsea v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports)
14:00 Nottingham Forest v Brentford (Sky Sports)
16:30 Manchester United v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
Monday 18 August
20:00 Leeds United v Everton (Sky Sports)
‘The reason why is because we work together every day for one season. I think what the club, what the team achieved the first season has been top, fantastic.
‘Finishing Champions League, Conference League, that was the competition we were in. The club worked hard.
‘More than this, it was quite difficult to achieve something more. Now it’s a new season and we’ll see.’