‘F off to all of them’ – Maresca fires back at Chelsea critics after securing Champions League qualification | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca hit back at his side’s critics this season after Chelsea secured a return to Champions League football with a win over Nottingham Forest.

Levi Colwill’s second-half strike means the Blues finish the season in fourth and will play in Europe’s top competition for the first time since the 2022/23 season.

And the Chelsea boss took aim at his team’s critics after the victory, saying: “I didn’t have any doubt, to be honest, about the players.

“I said that the doubt was from outside. All the ones that have the answers, that have the truth, they were saying we are too young, we are not good enough, they were waiting for Villa to drop points if we want to achieve Champions League.

“They were saying we were not able to win on this pitch (at Nottingham Forest) because we’re too young, not experienced, and unfortunately for them they have been all wrong.

“All the ones that have the truth and have the answer for everything. In English, how do you say? F off to all of them because the players deserve that.

“The effort has been fantastic.”

Chelsea had looked as though they would challenge Liverpool for the title this season earlier on in the campaign, before a drop off saw them in a fight to secure a top-five finish.

Maresca has been adamant that his side were not ready for a title push but says the club as a whole is moving in the right direction, despite a season which has seen fans protests against the owners.

“I think the players deserve it,” he said. “Since day one they have worked very, very hard.

“The club, the owners, the sporting directors, the players, we all go in the same direction.

“(Manchester) City lost here, Arsenal drew here, Liverpool drew here and Chelsea won. So it’s not easy.

“The players showed how good they are and the effort.

“Unfortunately we’re in a business where the people, you judge us because of the results and today in case we were not able to win the game, probably all of you judge this season as a disaster but it was not a disaster.

“I said many times, this season was already good. 12th two years ago, sixth last year and fourth this season.”