Enzo Maresca has hit out at Real Betis being given an extra two days to prepare for the Uefa Conference League final against Chelsea.
Maresca, whose immediate focus is on ensuring that his side seal Champions League qualification when they visit Nottingham Forest on Sunday, did not hide his displeasure at the scheduling around next Wednesday’s clash with Betis in Wroclaw. Chelsea’s head coach claimed it is unfair for the Spanish club to be playing on Friday night when they end their La Liga campaign by hosting Valencia.
Betis have nothing to play for in the league and will have more time to rest before the final, whereas Chelsea will have little time to recover from their daunting trip to the City Ground on the final day of the Premier League season. The Stamford Bridge club must beat Forest to guarantee their place in the top five but Maresca is also looking to claim silverware in his first year in charge.
‘‘I am not happy, 100%,” the Italian said. “You cannot allow a team 48 hours more time when they are playing a European final. ‘I don’t know if it’s [down to] the Premier League, La Liga or Uefa but it is not normal to play a team who has had 48 hours more time than you.
Maresca was asked if Uefa should have intervened and made Betis play on Sunday. “It is not correct,” he said. “I don’t know who it is but there should be rules, absolutely yes.”
Nicolas Jackson is missing through suspension against Forest, leaving Chelsea without their main striker. Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu have returned to training but Maresca said that neither forward is at full fitness yet. He added that Chelsea’s reserve goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, who has played throughout the Conference League, will not step aside for Robert Sánchez against Betis.
“Filip is going to play in the final,” he said. “He’s played all competition, it would be unfair to take him out now. It will be Filip plus 10 players, I’m not sure who else will play. He deserves to play in the final.”
