Enzo Maresca has revealed details of a training ground summit held between Chelsea players and staff last month, at which he laid out his ambition to qualify for the Champions League this term.
The Blues’s miserable run of form since just before Christmas has seen them slip to sixth, but they remain just a point behind Manchester City in fourth, while fifth looks increasingly likely to be enough for Champions League qualification, with English clubs heading the race for an extra spot in next season’s competition.
Still, Maresca needs a response from his players heading into Saturday’s meeting with Aston Villa, having accused them of lacking desire in last weekend’s thrashing at Brighton.
In all, around a hundred members of staff were in attendance, including the entire first-team squad, with Maresca keen to ensure his young players recognised the efforts of those working behind the scenes.
That goal was made clear internally a month ago, when Maresca summoned all staff at the club’s Cobham training ground to a meeting in the canteen.
