LONDON : Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed his team is at full strength as they go into the second leg of their Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden on Thursday with a commanding advantage from the first game.
Chelsea hammered the Swedish side 4-1 last week as goals by Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke put them 2-0 up at the break followed by a double from Nicholas Jackson.
“We have no new injuries,” Maresca told a press conference on Wednesday.
“This is good for us. Everyone is fit and (striker) Marc Guiu could be involved in the squad. We are not sure yet, we will make a decision on him, but he is getting closer.
The Spanish teenager, who joined last summer from Barcelona and is Chelsea’s top scorer in the competition with six goals, missed the last three months with a hamstring problem.
“Maybe it’s better for Marc to have a few more days of training, but he is very close to being back with us,” Maresca added.
Chelsea, who had to go through the playoffs to qualify for Europe’s third-tier competition, last played in a European final in 2021 when they beat Manchester City 1-0 to lift their second Champions League trophy.
They can now become the first team to win all three European competitions if they add the Conference League to their trophy cabinet later this month.
“It’s very important for us, for different reasons. But mainly because we want this club winning trophies,” Maresca said.
Asked whether a Conference League success would be enough of a statement to claim the team are back to winning ways, the Italian coach said it would be a good start.
“Winning a trophy is a statement and you (could then) say Chelsea are back,” Maresca added.
“If we play in the Conference it’s because it’s where we are. (And) if you play Conference, the only trophy you can win is the Conference. I think it’s a good starting point.”
