Enzo Maresca Gets Emotional as He Praises Liverpool's Classy Response to Diogo Jota Incident
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca praised Liverpool's "exceptional" campaign start following the tragic loss of Diogo Jota in July.
Jota lost his life in a devastating car accident along with his sibling André Silva, shocking the football community with his untimely death.
Maresca understands the pain of losing a colleague in similar circumstances, having played alongside Antonio Puerta at Sevilla. The gifted fullback collapsed from cardiac arrest during a match against Getafe in August 2007 and died in hospital three days later at only 22 years old.
Before Chelsea's encounter with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge for Saturday's late kickoff, Maresca addressed questions about the weaknesses the defending Premier League titleholders have displayed recently.
However, the Italian coach looked past the losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray to highlight how Liverpool have handled themselves remarkably amid such tragedy, referencing his own difficult experiences in Seville.
"I don't believe it's necessarily easier to face Liverpool simply because they've dropped points in their previous two matches. It remains a challenging fixture. Always against a top-tier team," Maresca stated.
"From my perspective, their performance this campaign has been exceptional, particularly following [Diogo] Jota's tragic passing. I experienced something identical as a player two decades ago. It's incredibly difficult for the squad, the organization, and the coach when you arrive at the training facility and constantly see that vacant spot. You must demonstrate tremendous resilience.
"This explains why I believe they're performing not just well, but exceptionally well. They're managing to cope with circumstances that are extremely challenging."
Maresca: I Have Faith in My Young Talent
Chelsea face significant injury and suspension concerns for Saturday's match, with Maresca's backline particularly impacted. Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo are all sidelined through injury, while Trevoh Chalobah serves a suspension following his red card in last weekend's 3–1 home loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.
This creates an opportunity for Josh Acheampong to start in central defense, a player who has received starting opportunities from Maresca even when other options were available.
"It's clear that I have complete confidence in our young talent. Not only the young players we acquire, but also those coming through our academy," the former Leicester City boss explained to media.
"Once again, we provided opportunities last season to Josh Acheampong, despite having senior players available on the substitutes' bench. This demonstrates my faith in young players. The same occurred with Ty [George]. I genuinely believe in all our squad members. As mentioned, we currently have four or five defenders unavailable. However, we'll work to adjust and identify the proper approach for tomorrow's game."