"I am not here to survive" - Enzo Maresca lifts lid on ambition amid Chelsea struggles

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has opened up about his ambitions at Stamford Bridge, amid the club's ongoing struggles. The Blues began the season in banging form under his leadership, losing just twice in 17 Premier League games, and those losses were to Manchester City and Liverpool. However, this form has dipped in recent times.

In their last eight Premier League games, the Blues have managed just two wins, dropping points in two draws and picking up four losses. Indeed, since the turn of 2025, they have won just twice, raising questions about Enzo Maresca's long-term hopes of staying on in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.

While it may look like he might be hoping to survive and see out the rest of the season, the manager has shared a contrary view. At a recent press conference, he explained (via Ben Jacobs on X):

"I am not here to survive. I am here to win games. I am here to bring this club to fight for titles. I have said this many times. The problem is when you win games, you look humble, and when you don't you look like you lack ambition."

"My intention is to win games, to win titles and to bring this club where it belongs. I am ambitious and the club is ambitious. We have the same manager, sporting directors and owners as two months ago when we were second in the league. But we are dealing with many injuries and it affects the level of the team. The sporting directors and owners have always supported me."

Chelsea are currently sitting outside UEFA Champions League spots despite enjoying a long run in the top four. With 13 matches left, they will need to improve on their performances to clinch a spot in the coveted competition.

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Enzo Maresca rues injury crisis affecting "significant" Chelsea players

Enzo Maresca also spoke about the injury crisis affecting some of Chelsea's most important players, who are on the sidelines. Players like Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Guiu, and Noni Madueke are currently all out of contention, with three of them picking up hamstring injuries.

Maresca has admitted that while the Blues will target the top four slots, their work has been made difficult by these injuries. He said (via Ben Jacobs on X):

"We have five or six players, significant players, who are out. I was watching our first game against Villa and we had Wes, Noni, Nico and Romeo. So it's changed completely. We are going to try and win games despite the injuries."

While Chelsea are out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, they remain firm favorites to win the UEFA Conference League while also chasing a top-four finish in the Premier League.