Why Champions League failure could spell 'trouble' for Enzo Maresca's future at Chelsea | OneFootball

Chelsea have set relatively realistic targets for head coach Enzo Maresca this season, but these could change in the second half of the season, according to reports.

Despite the slow start, Chelsea are arguably in a very good position so far this season, all things considered.

Maresca's side are third in the Premier League table, six points behind first-placed Arsenal, in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, and just two points off the automatic qualification zone in the Champions League's league phase.

However, the Daily Telegraph's Matt Law claimed that the only two competitions that could determine Maresca's future at Chelsea would be the Premier League and the Champions League.

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"At the start of the season, I was pretty much told that the sort of loose start of season target would be to qualify for the Champions League again," Law told London is Blue Podcast when speaking about Chelsea's objectives this season.

"And they want a run in the Champions League. They want to compete in it.

"So obviously going out in the group league phase would be very bad. Not qualifying for the top eight and going out in the play-off round, I think, would also be judged as a failure.

"If you get to the last 16, I think then it all becomes about the draw and circumstance. It's too difficult to predict. But if they go out before the last 16, I think it would be deemed a disappointment.

"If they don't qualify for the Champions League next season, quite frankly, I think Enzo would be in trouble, because that would be seen as a step backwards."

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Qualifying for the Champions League knock-out phase is arguably trickier than maintaining a top-four spot in the Premier League.

There are only four matches left for the Blues in the European competition's league phase, against Barcelona, Atalanta, Pafos, and Napoli, plus a couple more if they have to go through the play-off round.

In comparison, there are a lot more matches to win points from in the Premier League.

Law further added that while Chelsea would love to win the domestic cups, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, he does not think that either of these competitions would affect Maresca's future at the club.

The journalist also claimed that like last season, Chelsea may reassess their targets in early March.

"Because obviously if they're, at the start of March, three points off the top and right in that conversation of winning the Premier League, then you can't just target top four from there."