Enzo Maresca Falls Deeper In Love With Chelsea Squad After EFL Cup Win

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Chelsea moved into the EFL Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Cardiff City, leaving Enzo Maresca describing growing affection for the squad and insisting Chelsea are heading in the right direction after recent pressure around results.

Speaking after the tie in south Wales, Maresca stressed that reaching the last four and the backing from supporters were his main takeaways, while Alejandro Garnacho’s brace and Pedro Neto’s finish delivered the goals that secured Chelsea’s place in the semi-finals.

Talking to Sky Sports after the match, Maresca said: "Tonight the focus has to be that we reached the semi-final, the support from fans has always been there. We are going in the right direction, everything I do is because I want the best for everyonethe fans, players, everyone."

The win followed a challenging spell for Maresca, who had described the build-up to the 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton on Saturday as his hardest period since joining Chelsea, coming straight after a four-game run without a win in all competitions.

Maresca previously explained that "the two days prior to the clash with Everton were the worst since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team." That comment reflected the tension around the club before the back-to-back victories over Everton and Cardiff.

Maresca later expanded on the importance of supporter backing, saying: "I said many times in many press conferences, the support, they have always been there, knowing that any supporters in the world when you don't win, they are not happy. So in some moments when you don't win games, they have not been happy, but it's normal. But overall, the fans have always been there. I just said that these are the kind of games that I fall in love even more with the players because you cannot imagine how easy it is to slip, to slide, because they are tricky games."

The manager’s reference to "tricky games" underlined the risk of a setback against lower-ranked opposition, yet Chelsea managed the occasion well, with Garnacho scoring twice either side of Neto’s strike to keep the EFL Cup campaign on track.

Chelsea EFL Cup push and Estevao injury update

Chelsea were without forward Estevao in Cardiff, and Maresca confirmed the Brazil international will also miss the upcoming Premier League fixture against Newcastle United due to a muscle issue picked up before the quarter-final victory.

Providing more detail on Estevao’s status, Maresca said: "Estevao has a small muscular problem, a light injury, Maresca said, as quoted by Chelsea's official website. He wont be available for Newcastle but we will see for the next one. I think he can be available for the next game [against Aston Villa on December 27]."

With a semi-final place secured, Chelsea now balance knockout ambitions with league duties against Newcastle United and Aston Villa, while Maresca’s comments highlight renewed confidence in the squad, steady fan backing and a cautious optimism over Estevao’s swift return.