Enzo Maresca explains Pedro Neto's key role in exploiting Barcelona's weakness | OneFootball

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said he deployed Pedro Neto as a centre forward to punish Barcelona's high defensive line, which led to their 3-0 Champions League win on Tuesday.

This was not the first time the Portugal international played as a centre forward for Chelsea.

He did it several times last season, but it was his first start as a number nine so far this season.

It was likely not an easy decision to make, either, since Maresca had four striker options: Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Marc Guiu, and Tyrique George, who had to start the game on the bench.

Maresca suggested that Pedro Neto's pace was the key reason.

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"Barcelona is a team that if you give them the ball, they feel comfortable," the Italian told Chelsea's in-house media team when asked about the decision to use Pedro Neto up front.

"But when they don't have the ball, they struggle.

"So the idea was to keep the ball as much as we can, and then we try to use speedy players, quick players, running players."

The former Wolves winger is indeed one of, if not the fastest, attackers at Chelsea.

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Moises Caicedo recently named him as the quickest in the team, and the data backs this up. Pedro Neto has recorded the highest top speed for Chelsea in the Champions League at 34.9 km/h.

Pedro Neto could, of course, drop deeper seamlessly when out of possession as well, allowing Enzo Fernandez, who played as a number 10, to operate more freely in midfield.

"You need a balance between the two phases, on the ball and off the ball," Maresca added.

"We always try to be aggressive, regardless of the other team, and tonight the players were very good."