Enzo Maresca praised the way his Chelsea team dug in and managed to “win ugly” as an own goal helped them to a 1-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League.
Chelsea recovered from defeat to Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener to register their first points on the board as Richard Rios’s first-half own goal proved the difference between the teams.
Substitute Joao Pedro was shown a second yellow card and saw Chelsea reduced to ten men in stoppage time, but the Blues held on to consign Jose Mourinho to defeat on his return to the stadium where he won three Premier League titles in two stints with the Blues.
“We needed for sure the win, the three points, for different reasons,” Maresca said.
“I think first-half we controlled the game, we scored the goal, we created more chances and we didn't concede anything, besides two or three transitions, that is normal. And then second-half, for different reasons, we dropped.
“I think we have some players on the pitch that unfortunately are not 100 per cent, but they are playing because we have seven or eight players out.
“But also I think it was good to win tonight, in any case, even if sometimes you need to learn to win in an ugly way, like the last ten minutes of the game.”
Maresca was pleased Chelsea were able to get points on the board in the group phase at the second time of asking.
“We have six more games,” he said. “We will see also if we are able to recover [injured] players, as that is so important for us.
“First of all, the target is to continue the next stage, but if we are able to finish top four, that is very good for us.”
