Enzo Maresca ramped up excitement over teenage prospect Reggie Walsh after handing him an historic Chelsea debut, claiming: ‘He’s perfect for our style of play’.
Walsh was sent on as a late substitute as the Blues cruised to a 4-1 victory over Swedish side Djurgarden in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final.
At just 16, Walsh became the youngest player to turn out for Chelsea since 1967 and went close to adding a fifth with a long-range strike with his very first touch.
“It’s a great moment, he’s very young,” Maresca said. “To be honest, it’s already a long time that I feel excited to give him the debut chance because he’s so good.
“He’s very young but in the way we want to play, in our way, in our style, he’s perfect.
“But he’s still very young, he needs to learn, he needs to work hard and he needs to grow for sure. But we are happy.
“[Chelsea staff] just said to me that we gave eight debuts this season from the academy. I think it’s good.”
Walsh’s bow put the seal on a near-perfect night for the Blues, who look certain to qualify for next month’s final in Wroclaw, where they would meet either Fiorentina or Real Betis. That tie is finely poised after the Spanish side won their home leg 2-1 on Thursday night.
Maresca, however, insists he is taking nothing for granted yet, with Chelsea having made hard work of their quarter-final against Legia Warsaw despite also holding a three-goal lead at the midway stage.
“The message is that against Warsaw away we won 3-0 and then at home we struggled,” Maresca said. “So, it’s a good experience and for sure the next leg at home we’re going to finish our job and hopefully we can reach the final.”
