Pedro Neto admits Chelsea 'mistakes' and makes Enzo Maresca claim ahead of expected Jose Mourinho reception | OneFootball

The winger has also jumped to Enzo Maresca’s defence after the Blues boss was greeted by some boos after the loss to Brighton

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Neto believes that is down to “mistakes” and has stressed how the squad are well aware they must improve.

Chelsea are next in action on Tuesday night, when they will host Benfica in the Champions League.

“I think it is, in the eyes of everyone, that our points lost were because of our own mistakes.

“In the last game, you could see that we were controlling most of the game and, we are not blaming anyone, but as everyone knows it is our own mistakes that have been taking points from us.

“We know the quality that we have, we know the control that we have been having from the games - even Brentford away we were winning until the last minute and we concede a goal because our focus was not 100 per cent.

Chelsea slumped to a 3-1 loss at home to Brighton on Saturday

Action Images via Reuters

“It is really positive, the players are really positive, and the players have an opportunity to show tomorrow what we can do one more time.

“To be honest, I want to do better. I think we, as a team, we want to do much better as well. The standards that we put are really high.

“Last season we showed what we can do and this season that is what we are going to do. We will do great stuff.”

Benfica will be coached on Tuesday by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who is expected to get a good reception from the home fans.

Maresca is yet to feel the same love as Mourinho and there were some boos after Saturday’s loss to Brighton.

“Football, it is like that,” said Neto. “One day you’re the best, if you’re losing the other day, you’re the worst.

“So when the manager won he was the best in the world and now he’s losing, he’s the worst.

One day you’re the best, if you’re losing the other day, you’re the worst

Pedro Neto

“For us as players, it’s the same. When we won the [Club] World Cup, we were the best, and now we are the worst.

“So, Jose is a part of the story of the club, he is not here to win or lose games. And Maresca is here to do his best and he cannot do better than what he is doing, because it is not only him that is at fault, it is the players fault as well.

“We are on the pitch, we have to take the blame as well. We have to do much better and, as a team, we have to focus on ourselves and learn from our mistakes to the next games to do better.”