Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed his fury with his players during the halftime interval of their narrow 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over League One side Lincoln City. Despite a second-half comeback securing their passage to the fourth round, the Italian coach was deeply unimpressed with the attitude and motivation shown by his team in a dismal first-half display where they deservedly trailed 1-0.
A first half to forget
Following a disappointing weekend defeat to Manchester United, Maresca admitted his side “struggled” to find the right motivation at the LNER Stadium. The third-tier hosts out-shot their Premier League opponents by nine shots to three in the opening period and went into the break with a deserved lead thanks to a 42nd-minute strike from Robert Street.
When asked if he was angry with his players at halftime, Maresca emphatically responded: “Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.”
Maresca’s furious halftime talk
The manager explained that his players failed to adapt to the unique challenge of a cup tie against a lower-league opponent. “I know some of them didn’t play these kind of games,” he said. “I asked them how many times they had played against League One teams because you need to play a different kind of game.”
“It’s not the same game because the desire is double from them. We struggled a bit in the first half but we were much better in the second half and we won the game.” Maresca’s faith in his starting XI was ultimately rewarded, as two quickfire goals in the opening five minutes of the second half from Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte turned the game around.
A ‘good experience’ in the end
Despite his anger at the performance, Maresca believes the difficult match was ultimately a “good experience” for his squad. “If the next game is against a League One or League Two team away, for sure this experience will be good for the next one.”
Maresca’s post-match comments paint a clear picture of a manager who demands high standards regardless of the opposition. While Chelsea avoided embarrassment, his furious reaction is a stark warning to his players that talent alone is not enough without the required effort and desire.