Mariska shrugs off Chelsea crisis as Mourinho lurks

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca defended his squad's recent form ahead of the Champions League match against Benfica on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge. The Italian tactician noted his team lost just five contests across six months, and four defeats occurred with 10 players after red card dismissals. Maresca acknowledged better tactical choices could have prevented some setbacks, but expressed confidence in the squad's development compared to last campaign. He praised Jose Mourinho ahead of facing the Portuguese manager's Benfica side, and called the meeting an honor against a coaching legend. The club will evaluate injuries to Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro, and Andre Santos before kickoff. Maresca stressed fan sentiment connects directly to match outcomes, and emphasized continuous improvement remains the primary objective.