Every word Enzo Maresca said ahead of Chelsea vs Shamrock Rovers in Conference League | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has previewed Chelsea's Conference League clash against Shamrock Rovers on Thursday night.

Chelsea's league phase will conclude at Stamford Bridge as they host the Dublin-based side for their final game before the knockout stages.

Maresca's side are the first side to have qualified automatically for the last-16 after winning all five of their matches so far, beating KAA Gent, Panathinaikos, FC Noah, 1. FC Heidenheim and FC Astana.

Chelsea are on a run of seven wins in a row in all competitions and Thursday will offer the hosts a brilliant opportunity to extend the winning streak, as well as a chance for Maresca to rotate the team once again to spread the minutes across the team, including giving several academy players more minutes.

Here is every word Enzo Maresca said ahead of Chelsea's Conference League fixture against Shamrock Rovers.

Conversations with Mykhailo Mudryk and how is he after provisional FA ban after failed drugs test?

"Now the situation is a bit more clear. We have a statement from the club, who have already said what we need to say, so there is not anything to add, unless that the club, the coaching staff and all the people that are inside the training ground that we support and trust Misha."

What support are Chelsea offering Mykhailo Mudryk?

"General support in terms of, first of all, we trust Misha. And second, when these kind of things happen, you need to support your player in all the aspects."Misha is a Chelsea player. But, for sure, he is one of the players that is involved in the squad. So it's also my duty to be in contact with him. Me, the club, the players, the teammates, we are all there."

Any timeline of how long the process could go on for?

"No, not yet."

How do you deal with the situation when it comes to the other players?

"No, I don't think so in terms of, it's not the first time that it's happened. It's already happened in the past. Unfortunately it happened with us, but it's going to happen again for this different player. But I think they know exactly what they have to do, and this is the reason why we trust and we support Misha.

A wake up call to sharpen players' focus around this issue?

"I don't think so."

Did you speak with Misha and offer your support?

"Absolutely. That we are all upset, sad and we are there to support him. I spoke with him days ago and that's all. Yeah, at the moment he can't train. We are waiting. The club is there to support the player with all the things we need to support him with."

When did the test happen, after international duty?

"To be honest, I don't know."

What do you mean by 'trusting' Misha?

"We trust and support Misha, and trust means that we believe Misha. We trust Misha and we support him."Exactly, it's like this. What Misha said and what we said is that we trust and support Misha and then we see."

Has this happened before in your career?

"No, I don't think so."

How well equipped do you feel as a young coach yourself to help, particularly a young player like Misha, through something like this?

"First of all, these kind of things happen, not only the younger players, it also happens with players with experience. It's not just about Misha or about young players, it's in general. Then, as I said, it's my duty since we start, you know that I try to have a relation with players quite close because I like it that way. So even with Misha it's exactly the same. I'm there to try to help Misha in anything he needs, because in this moment it's normal that is going to need help from the club, from me, from the teammates, and we are all there trying to support."

You believe Misha is innocent in all of this?

"We all believe that, and then we see."

If he is found guilty and a long potential ban is given, are you confident this won't be the end of his career at Chelsea?

"No, I don't think so. I think he is going to come back. Now the only thing is that we don't know when, it's the only doubt we have in this moment. But for sure he is going to come back."

Difficulty mentally to be away from family and friends. Concerns looking after him from a mental perspective during lonely time?

"It's not just about Misha, it's about any player in the world that these kind of things happen, they need support, no matter if he's 20 or 30, no matter if English or Italian or Ukrainian, no matter nothing. When these kind of things happen, I need support, you need support, they need support. We all need support because something happened. It's not about Misha, it's not about the age, it's not about the country, it's about that when these kind of things happen, we all need support."

How did the squad take the news about Mudryk?

"Yeah, we had all the same feeling in terms of the teammates, they were all surprised because Misha at the beginning was ill, then this happened. They were all surprised and in the same time sad, because we don't like these kind of things."

Senior players in squad to reach out to help support Mudryk?

"Not only the senior players. I think in this kind of moment, it's important that all the teammates are there to support Misha."

Impressive start to the season for Chelsea. Do you feel the Conference League is one for Chelsea to win?

"I said already that I like to go step by step. For us, the main target in Conference was the group stage. Now the group stage is there, we're gonna see the next game. And then the target when we play the next game is to go to the next one, and then we see where we arrive."

How have you found Mudryk as a player?

"For sure, with us he was improving a lot, especially in the last game. He started to understand which position he has to stay. At the beginning, it was because of his skills, he was moving a lot, he was running a lot. With us. I think in the last two or three games that he played, he was improving a lot. We were very happy with him. Then in terms of where he can be in one year, two years, three years, I don't know."The talent we see in the training pitch is exactly the same talent you can sometimes see during the game. With Misha it's exactly the same feeling. In the training sessions what happens it's exactly what happens during the game."

Dealing with multiple issues at Chelsea since summer appointment. How have you managed to navigate?

"Just to try to convince the players that the only side that we can decide is the pitch side, because then everything that happens around the pitch sometimes we cannot control that. "As you said, Enzo or the other kind of things, but especially to convince them that if we need to solve things outside of the pitch, it's my job to do it, not their job. They have to be focused on the game, the day by day. They have to work hard and try to win games as much as we can. Then the rest is about the club, it's about me, how to try to solve these kind of problems."

Reaction to Josh Acheampong's new contract?

"Very, very happy. Very happy. With Josh it has been quite clear. He was with us in pre-season. I didn't know him personally, but after two, three days that he was there with us, he really impressed me. And since the pre-season, I was trying to understand a little bit the situation with him in terms of contract and these kind of things. Now finally, the club found an agreement with him and we are all happy because we are all convinced and sure that Josh can be a great player for this club."

Does Acheampong need to go on loan?

"My personal opinion is that he has to stay close to us, so as much as we can keep him here is much better."

Could Mudryk's absence represent a big opportunity for Tyrique George?

"We have now three or four games before January. We have Everton, Fulham and Ipswich, three games before January. So we have still three games, and then after these three games, probably we're gonna sit and we're gonna decide if we need to do something."For sure, Tyrique is going to have to get minutes. We are going to try to help him to improve day by day because now he's working with us every day, him and Josh, and to allow them to get minutes with us in the Premier League."

Plan for Omari Kellyman and potential loan in January?

"Yeah, the main plan for him was to recover after his injury. Now step by step, slowly, slowly, to get minutes. Then in January we see which decision is better for him."

How clean do you think football is today compared to your days at Juventus as a player after doping scandal?

"I was waiting for this question! I think football was clean in that time and it's clean in this time. I don't think there is a big difference between my time at Juventus and now. I think in that time it was clean, in this time it's clean. These kind of things happen. In the past, now, they are going to happen in the future."

What are Shamrock Rovers' strengths and how will you approach the game?

"We're going to try to approach always in the same way, try to do our best and win the game. I think today in football it's difficult to find teams that have no strengths. All the teams they have something good and some things that you can try to work on that and win the game. But I watched four or five games and I think that they are a good team. They try to defend as a block and altogether. They have some good players in general. But I'm quite convinced that all the games are difficult. It depends on us, the way we take that game can become a little bit more easy or more difficult, but for sure it will be another game that we're going to try to win."I saw also the game against Sparta Prague, Rapid Vienna, different games they were trying to play face-to-face with the other team. The way they defend as a block, the way they try to defend to help each other."

Will youngsters be given an opportunity to play against Shamrock Rovers?

"Could be, could be. We try to change players since we started. Tomorrow it's one more option for that."

Are you surprised how well the surprised the season has gone for you?

"I said many times that we are ahead of my expectation in terms of the way we play and also for the results."