- Chelsea concluded their pre-season tour in the US with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid
- The Blues have allowed 12 goals during their five matches on this trip across the States
- Maresca’s team kicks off their Premier League season against Man City on August 8
Enzo Maresca mentioned he is working on removing Mauricio Pochettino’s tactics from his Chelsea squad, aiming to avoid playing with an excessively high defensive line.
In their final friendly during the US tour, Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, who consistently took advantage of the Blues’ defensive positioning with well-placed passes.
Maresca asserted to journalists that this issue is a focus for the team: ‘It’s a challenge we’ve been addressing since the start of pre-season. One of my initial discussions with the players addressed the goals conceded last year due to a high defensive line.
‘It’s something we are still trying to improve. Offensively, we are on track – the patterns are emerging and we created opportunities.
‘The defensive side remains a concern. When I refer to “defensively,” it includes all players, not just the defensive line. Now that this segment is over, we return to London, facing Inter Milan and then an official match.’
Enzo Maresca expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of his team’s performance against Real Madrid
Chelsea wrapped up their US tour with a 2-1 defeat to the Champions League winners
Chelsea gearing up to face Manchester City in their Premier League opener on August 18
Chelsea is set to face Manchester City in the Premier League season opener. To prevent Pep Guardiola’s team from taking advantage of their defensive weaknesses, Maresca commented: ‘It’s a recurring issue. We are actively working to avoid such a high defensive line — a habit that stems from last year and beyond.
‘We are aiming to lower our defensive line by approximately four to five meters, allowing us to maintain a strategic edge. Last season, we conceded numerous goals due to this flaw. We hope to address it quickly.’
