As for Chelsea, newly installed manager Enzo Maresca will have his new side full of confidence. He attributes a lot of his coaching ability to his mentor, Manuel Pellegrini. One suspects Pellegrini first saw the coaching potential in Maresca during their time together as player/manager at Sampdoria. Since then, the two have developed a mutually beneficial and long-lasting relationship. Maresca’s mission is to make Chelsea giants again. He is under an enormous personal and professional challenge, going head-to-head with Pellegrini, who is on the verge of bringing Real Betis their first-ever European title.
During his time as Pellegrini’s assistant at West Ham, the two built an extremely close working relationship. It was Pellegrini who helped to steer Maresca’s coaching career about 15 years ago. By mentoring and imparting wisdom, Pellegrini prepared Maresca with the tools needed to succeed as a main man himself.
“I define him like a professional dad because when I need to make big decisions, we are in contact,” Maresca said, highlighting the depth of their relationship.
Their shared past runs deep, featuring key points during their time at Manchester City, where both men collaborated to create a farm system that produced top tier talent. As head coach of Manchester City’s B team, Maresca had the opportunity to mentor players such as Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia. That experience turned out to be extremely fruitful, giving him the opportunity to hone his tactics and coaching style.
Pellegrini’s tips on handling players have been equally important to Maresca. With these lessons, he masterfully steers a Chelsea side thirsty for glory. Chelsea’s last major piece of silverware came in May 2021, when they won the Champions League followed by the Club World Cup. The pressure is already building on Maresca. Now it’s on him to use his experience and get the best out of the young talent in the squad to guide the U.S.
“I learned a lot from him, especially how to manage players, how to manage a squad,” Maresca noted about his time with Pellegrini.
Their common coaching philosophies carry over to tactical conversations, too. Pellegrini and Maresca routinely have philosophical discussions over their respective coaching methods and styles. Only last week, however, they were engaged in discussion on some of the most pressing topics faced on today’s football landscape.
Pellegrini recognized Maresca’s potential from an early stage. His message to him, he told us, was for Maresca to begin coaching while he was still playing—in his 30s. Now it’s Maresca’s turn to go prove he can outlast his longtime mentor. As he guides Chelsea in pursuit of yet another European title, this moment represents the ultimate crucible for his craft.
There are few better indicators than players who are going to make great coaches. Consider their effect on other people and how well they learn ideas quickly through training. Now, Pellegrini admits he under-estimated Maresca’s impact.
Already into the fifth week of this season, critics are watching and it hasn’t gone unnoticed how well Chelsea’s Maresca is doing. Though he’s faced obstacles, the bottom line is the positive results he’s been able to produce. His tactical approach has especially gotten big bucks signings such as Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to play like they are worth their exorbitant transfer fees.
Maresca’s long-term vision and commitment to developing young players reflect the ideas he absorbed from Pellegrini. Their similar views on critical aspects of the game, such as offside rules and player management, have allowed for a seamless transition from one mentor to another.
As Chelsea embarks on its first full year under Maresca’s direction, the fingerprints of Pellegrini are all over the club. While he seeks to build up his squad for future success, an undeniable tension looms as he prepares to face Pellegrini in what could be a defining moment in both their careers.
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