Maresca on Felix, Acheampong contract and Mudryk potential

Posted by Admin October 23, 2024 Football

Chelsea boss Enzo Marseca has been speaking to the media before Thursday’s Conference League game against Panathinaikos (kick-off 17:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

Filip Jorgensen is “available and going to play” on Thursday, while Mykhailo Mudryk’s absence at the weekend was a “technical decision” and he is also available.
On when Mudryk will reach his full potential and get back into the team: “I don’t know. We try to work with Misha everyday. Hopefully he can get better and better, day by day with us. Similar to Joao [Felix], he is doing well, but in this moment there are more players that are doing well. Important for him and the rest that when they get the chance, they take it.”
On if this game is an opportunity for Joao Felix with his lack of minutes so far: “Since Joao arrived, he is doing very well for us. I don’t have anything bad to say about him, I can only say good things. But there are players that aren’t playing, not because they are not doing well during the week, but because players they are playing against in the moment are doing well. Joao just needs to keep working in the way he is working.”
On whether he is not allowed to play Josh Acheampong until reported contract issues are resolved: “I feel a bit of shame for Josh because this kind of game is an opportunity for him. I had a chat with him personally, about three weeks ago, about his situation. The chat we had was very good, positive, but I haven’t spoken with him since. It is a shame because I really think he is potentially a top player.”
He added: “The first thing we need to do is to find a solution for his contract, for his future. It’s a bad situation for him at the moment. I don’t know if the people are helping him or not. I really like Josh and I would like to have him here with us, but it is not possible.”
He does not feel the side are conceding “easy goals” at the moment but “conceding goals like all the rest of the clubs”. At a full Panathinaikos stadium, he said he hopes “we are not going to concede any goals”.