Enzo Maresca has said that he felt pressure upon being appointed new Chelsea head coach.
Maresca officially started work at Stamford Bridge in July 2024 after winning promotion to the Premier League with Leicester during the 2023-2024 Championship campaign.
Signing a five-year deal in west London to replace Mauricio Pochettino, Maresca would go on to have a largely successful first season in charge.
While Chelsea suffered early exits in the domestic cup competitions, they qualified for the Champions League thanks to a top-four Premier League finish, secured on the final day of the season against Nottingham Forest.
Furthermore, the Blues claimed two more pieces of silverware to add to their trophy cabinet with Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs.
Reflecting on his time at Chelsea so far, Maresca - who was recently sent-off for over-celebrating a last-minute winner against Liverpool - admits he felt pressure of being the only Italian to have not been successful in his home country before taking on such a big job.
Speaking on stage at the Festival dello Sport, he said: “It’s a great feeling. This is my second season at the club, but we’d never won in the last minute at home before.
“The reaction that led to the sending off was instinctive, but maybe it was worth it.
“We’re talking about one of the biggest clubs in the world, one that has struggled in recent years for various reasons.
“When I first signed, I felt the pressure of being the only Italian not to have won here (in Italy), but fortunately it hasn’t gone that way.
“Bringing this club back to the top is a very satisfying feeling.”
