Soccer
Gus Poyet heaps praise on Enzo Maresca after Chelsea's end of season success
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Gus Poyet believes Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca can be pretty pleased with his work in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Despite some difficult moments in this campaign, the Italian has led the Blues back into the Champions League and topped the year off by beating Real Betis to lift the Europa Conference League.
Poyet, who himself tasted European glory with the West London side, spoke of his admiration for his achievements in an exclusive chat with DAZN News, courtesy of BetBrain.
The Uruguayan said, "I think that to win a trophy in the first season after winning promotion last year with Leicester, it's not bad for a coach who started two years ago.
"Secondly, he has to deal with many things, lots of negativity, and he has to deal with so much. But if you get through the top five of the Premier League, except Liverpool, the rest have all had their ups and downs. All of them.
"But sometimes, when you are the one in the press all the time, you think it's only you. So, probably Maresco felt that way during the season.
"But I think he knew in the back of his mind that if he kept going non-stop and if he kept getting the players ready for the end of the season, he would be able to achieve what probably the club asked him at the beginning of the season, you know, Champions League football. And then if you can win a trophy, it's a plus. And he's done it.
"So his season now is a very, very good one"
With their win in Poland, Chelsea became the first team in football history to win every major European trophy, but they had to do it the hard way, having gone behind to Betis in the first half.
However, a vastly improved second period, inspired by Cole Palmer, saw the Blues run out 4-1 winners over the Spanish side, and Poyet believes the change in mentality at half time made all the difference.
"I think there was a change of mentality at halftime," He added.
"Something at half time, I don't know, maybe it was the coach, I hope it was the coach, I would like to hear that. Maybe one player, maybe it was something that someone said.
"It just needs the right words, it could be the coach, it could be an assistant, it could be one player, it could be a sub.
"But something changed at halftime for me. Clearly, something changed. And obviously, when you score the equaliser, that's the momentum.
"And Chelsea took the momentum and ran over Betis. Betis had no reaction whatsoever."
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