Chelsea “building something special” says Enzo maresca despite Bayern Munich loss | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca called on his Chelsea players to embrace the lessons of their 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich, insisting the performance underlined the club’s potential to “build something special.”

For the Blues, it was a first Champions League appearance in nearly two and a half years, a test against one of Europe’s most seasoned outfits. Chelsea’s inexperience showed in the opening half, where individual errors gifted Bayern two goals. Trevoh Chalobah’s own goal put the German side in the lead before a Harry Kane double ensured a victory for the home side.

Yet Maresca found positives in the display, insisting that Chelsea’s youthful squad possesses the quality to compete at this level, even if consistency remains elusive.

“We were in the game until the end,” Maresca reflected, in comments transcribed by Sky Sports.“You cannot expect to control 95 minutes here, that is not reality. But I told the players: you learn from mistakes, and from defeats you can build something special.”

The Italian acknowledged the gulf in experience between his side and Bayern, whose core is battle-hardened by years of Champions League football. But he praised Chelsea’s resilience and composure in stretches of the contest.

For Maresca, the challenge is now to transform hard lessons into progress. Chelsea may have faltered in Munich, but their return to Europe’s top stage offered encouragement that brighter nights could yet lie ahead.

GFN | Finn Entwistle