Enzo Maresca feels Chelsea’s trip to Premier League’s bottom club Southampton will not be easy

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is cautious about the upcoming match against Southampton. He expects a tough challenge from the Saints.

Chelsea has started the 2024-25 season well, currently sitting in joint-second place with Arsenal, having accumulated 25 points from 13 matches. Meanwhile, Southampton has struggled, winning only one game and currently being at the bottom of the table with just five points.

Despite the difference in standings, Maresca believes Wednesday’s match at St Mary’s Stadium will be difficult. He has faced Southampton before while managing Leicester in the Championship last season. He respects Southampton’s abilities and warned his players to be prepared for a challenging game.

Maresca told reporters that he considers this match to be one of the hardest they will face this season. He pointed out that even though Southampton is at the bottom of the table, they have performed well in several matches. For example, they narrowly lost to Liverpool and Manchester City and played draw with Brighton.

He added that he knows how strong Southampton can be, describing them as brave and skilled at keeping possession of the ball. Therefore, he emphasized the need for readiness in this upcoming game.