Opinion: Enzo Maresca's refreshing accountability offers Chelsea springboard to bounce back | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca took a huge step towards healing Chelsea's frustrations after consecutive Premier League defeats when previewing their Champions League clash against Benfica.

Chelsea host Benfica at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night and are in desperate need of a victory to return to winning ways and end September on a high.

It's been a difficult month for Maresca and his Chelsea side, who have won just one of their five games in all competitions (D1, L3). Their only victory came against League One side Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.

Defeat to Bayern Munich on matchday one means Chelsea are without a win in the Champions League this season. However, it's the two domestic defeats to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion that have raised question marks.

In both of those matches, Chelsea were shown red cards, and the dismissals played a major role in their downfall. But it was Maresca’s reaction, along with the red cards themselves, that sparked frustration among supporters.

Victory over Benfica will offer Maresca much-needed relief. | IMAGO / Ulmer/Teamfoto

Maresca was accused of throwing in the towel by some quarters with his substitutions in both games. Against Man United, he withdrew both attackers - Estevao and Pedro Neto - within five minutes of Robert Sanchez’s dismissal.

Against Brighton, after Trevoh Chalobah was sent off, Maresca once again opted to remove Chelsea's attacking threats. The move invited further pressure, and the rest is history.

The backlash forced Chelsea to publicly back their head coach ahead of crucial fixtures against Benfica and Liverpool before the October international break.

Put in front of the media on Monday to preview the Benfica clash, Maresca's response earned significant praise. The 45-year-old took full accountability for some of his recent decisions.

He said: "For sure I think after reviewing the last two games, Man Utd and Brighton with 10 players, for sure I could have done better probably in terms of (my) decisions. No doubt, but also for me it's like a learning process to play with 10 players because I think for any manager it's not something normal.

Reflection has been on Maresca's agenda. | IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

"Unfortunately for us it happened two times. And the stats is that in the last almost six months we lost five games, four of them with a red card. Newcastle, Flamengo, Man Utd and Brighton. And the only game that we lost 11vs11 was Bayern Munich away. So that's why I said for me personally there is not any reason that we need to panic knowing that football is a crazy world.

"If you lost five games in six months and you need to say things to defend yourself, that means that it's a crazy world. So I don't think we need to defend ourselves in this moment because the reality is that I have a very good feeling with the squad we have.

"I think compared to last season we have all improved. The players because they can play games, they can have more experience. Me personally as a manager, I think I feel better than last year. The reason why is because I'm learning. For sure there are many, many things that I need to learn. For instance, playing with 10 players is something that I probably need to do better. But it's part of the process and I don't have any doubt that in the future we're going to be better and better."

It was a refreshing moment of self-awareness from the Chelsea head coach - at a time when analysis and reflection are needed most for the Blues to learn and improve. If they are to iron out mistakes moving forward - from both the manager and the players - this level of honesty is essential.

Only time will tell whether Maresca has truly learned from his mistakes. He’ll be hoping Chelsea can avoid any more red cards in the near future, particularly this week, or his credentials for managing with 10 men will be tested all over again.