Maresca: Mudryk getting better after ´slow learning process´

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca was full of praise for Mykhailo Mudryk following their 4-1 victory over Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday.

Maresca made 11 changes to Chelsea’s starting team from their 2-1 defeat at Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, which worked to great effect.

The Ukrainian was one of those changes and put in a great performance, scoring one and registering another two assists to help maintain his side’s 100% record in the competition.

“We’re working with him and all the wingers,” Maresca told TNT Sports. “They need to arrive inside the box in the position where Misha [Mudryk] scored.

“He’s struggled to arrive there, now he’s started to. That’s where we’re going to score goals. We want the best for Misha – since day one we’ve tried to help him.”

Mudryk’s goal was only his eighth in all competitions since joining Chelsea in January 2023 and his first of the season, having started just one league game so far under Maresca.

The winger only lasted 45 minutes in that match – Chelsea’s 6-2 victory over Wolves in August – and Maresca confirmed things had been a bit slower than expected with him since joining the club.

“Probably he’s one of the guys that the learning process is more slow compared to the rest. But he’s improving.

“I’m sure that slowly, slowly we’re going to arrive where he will score more goals and to be more important for us.”

WWWWWW.

We’ve now won each of our last six group stage matches in European competition for the first time in our history. #CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/UKvt2VfnLG

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 24, 2024

Following Mudryk’s performance in Greece, no player has assisted more goals than him in. It is the first time since 2018-19, meanwhile, that Chelsea have opened a European campaign with back-to-back victories.

But Maresca was more concerned about the bigger picture, with every player being able to carry out a specific style.

“The most important thing is no matter how many players we change, you can see the identity of the team,” he said.

“The identity is quite clear. What we want is exactly what they’re doing – taking the chance when we give it to them. Tonight, once again, they showed that.”

The victory puts Chelsea top of the Conference League table and when asked if a club of Chelsea’s size could ever prioritise the competition, the head coach explained why they were currently at the right level.

“If we are a Champions League club, why are we in the Conference League? It’s because in this moment we belong to the Conference League,” he said.

“Football in the end always puts you where you deserve to be.”