Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his happiness and gratitude towards the travelling supporters after his side secured a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 victory away at Cardiff City on Wednesday night.
Substitutes Make the Difference in Tricky Tie
The Premier League side navigated a potentially tricky quarter-final against the League One leaders, with second-half substitutes Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto proving decisive. Garnacho found the net twice, while Neto also got on the scoresheet to ensure Chelsea's progression.
Cardiff had threatened a major upset when David Turnbull equalised with a superb diving header with just 15 minutes of normal time remaining. However, Chelsea's superior quality from the bench ultimately told at Cardiff City Stadium.
Maresca Focused on Football After Headline-Making Comments
The win came after a week where Maresca himself made the headlines. Following Saturday's Premier League victory over Everton, the Italian had described the preceding 48 hours as "the worst" since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
When questioned after the Cardiff win about whether he had since spoken to the club's hierarchy about those remarks, Maresca was clear. "No," he stated. "As I said yesterday, the day after Everton, I started to prepare for Cardiff. I focus on Cardiff."
He emphasised his commitment to preparation, noting he would immediately analyse footage of Chelsea's next opponents, Newcastle United, on the journey back to the club's Cobham training base.
A Moment of Unity with the Chelsea Faithful
At the final whistle, Maresca went over to celebrate with the away fans, who serenaded him with chants of his name. He described it as a "great moment" for which he was thankful.
"I'm just happy, we're going to play another semi-final and I think it's what the fans deserve," Maresca said. He acknowledged that supporters are unhappy when the team doesn't win but praised their overall support. "These are the kind of games that I fall in love even more with the players," he added, highlighting the focus needed to avoid a cup upset.
On the injury front, Maresca confirmed that Brazilian winger Estevao would miss the upcoming Newcastle match due to a "small muscle problem" that also kept him out of the Cardiff tie.
Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy was left to rue what might have been after his side's brave effort. "It's probably just the hope that kills you when you score a goal," he reflected. "I felt we were in the ascendancy and had a great chance to maybe grab a winner, but it wasn't to be."
