Maresca Protests Scheduling of UEFA Conference League Finals
Chelsea Manager, Enzo Maresca has expressed his discontent over the scheduling of the UEFA Conference League final, citing an unfair advantage given to their opponents, Real Betis.
The Italian boss believes that the Spanish side has been granted an extra 48 hours to prepare for the final, which could significantly impact the outcome of the match.
The controversy surrounding the scheduling stems from the fact that Betis have rescheduled their last La Liga match of the season from Sunday to Friday, while Chelsea are forced to wait until Sunday to play their Premier League finale against Nottingham Forest.
This means that Betis will have two extra days to rest and prepare for the Conference League final, which takes place on Wednesday.
Maresca’s frustration is exacerbated by the fact that Chelsea’s match against Forest is a crucial one, as they need to win to ensure qualification for next season’s Champions League by finishing in the top five of the Premier League. In contrast, Betis have nothing to play for in their match against Valencia, as they have already secured sixth place in La Liga.
“I’m not happy, one hundred per cent. You cannot allow a team 48 hours more than the other team when you play a European final. It’s not fair,” Maresca told reporters on Tuesday.
When asked if Chelsea should be allowed to play Forest on Friday, he replied, “Or Betis play Sunday, like us.”
However, UEFA has limited jurisdiction over the scheduling of domestic fixtures, and the Premier League has a long-standing policy of having all 10 final-day games kick off simultaneously on a Sunday afternoon.
La Liga, on the other hand, has no such tradition, and Betis’ game is the only one of the final round of games to be brought forward to Friday.
Maresca believes that UEFA needs to apply clearer rules to prevent such discrepancies in the future. “Absolutely yes,” he replied when asked if the governing body needed to take action. “It’s not fair to have different schedules for different teams. We need to have a level playing field.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the scheduling, Maresca is focused on the task at hand and is looking forward to facing his former mentor, Manuel Pellegrini, who is now the manager of Betis.
The two have a close relationship, with Pellegrini having managed Maresca during his time as a player at Malaga and later employing him as an assistant at West Ham.
“I spent four years with Manuel,” said Maresca. “He’s a reference for me because of his career and especially because, in terms of a human being, he is a top person. I define him like a professional dad because many times when I’ve needed to take a big decision, we are in contact.”
Maresca also revealed that he had sought Pellegrini’s advice before accepting the Chelsea job last June. “I spoke with Manuel yesterday,” he said. “We are so close.”
In terms of team news, Maresca confirmed that goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen would start the final instead of Robert Sanchez, who has been error-prone in recent matches. “Filip is going to play the final because he played all the competition, so it would be unfair not to play in the final,” he said.
The UEFA Conference League final between Chelsea and Real Betis is set to take place on Wednesday, with the winner earning a spot in next season’s Europa League. Despite the scheduling controversy, Maresca is confident that his team can overcome the odds and emerge victorious.
