On the eve of the Club World Cup, Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca gave an exclusive interview and shared his profound experience of growth in his first season as coach.

In the interview, Maresca praised the players' progress and said: "I always believe that if you want to make the team better, you have to let the players grow. From the beginning of the season, I can clearly see that our players are improving - not only in terms of technology, but also in mentality and understanding."

Maresca named several players with outstanding performances, including Levi Colwell, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke, saying that their continued progress was an important basis for the team to successfully compete for the top four in the Premier League and win the UEFA League title.

Looking back at the lows of the season, especially the losing streak in February, Maresca stressed: "In difficult times, the easiest thing to do is to overturn everything, but we didn't. We know we are doing the right thing, but the results have not come yet."

“It was this persistence that allowed Chelsea to win eight of the last nine games and finish the season strongly. During that time, the players never wavered. They still trained hard every day and maintained their standards, which touched me very much.”

Maresca also believes that such experiences not only help players grow, but also benefit him as a coach. Maresca said frankly: "Every game is an opportunity to learn. What makes me most happy is that even in the struggling period, the players still believe in our direction. They can feel that this path is right."

Leading a team with an average age of less than 25 to return to the Champions League and win the first trophy since 2022, Maresca has turned growth into Chelsea's most authentic label this season. And this persistence and trust is also the core concept of his leading the team forward.