Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said he feels supported by the club's owners as his side continue to struggle to finish the season.
Thursday's run to the Conference League semi-finals was marred by whistles at the end of the quarter-final return leg, which ended in a 2-1 defeat to Legia Warsaw. The team currently sits fifth in the Polish Ekstraklasa, a healthy result after their win at Stamford Bridge.
In the semi-finals, the Blues will meet Swedish Djurgarden and remain favourites in the fight for the trophy, which will be played in Wroclaw on May 28.
However, the worrying defeat could cast doubt on the team and its owners' main goal of returning to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
Last Sunday's 2-2 Premier League draw at home to Ipswich dropped Chelsea out of the top five but ahead of Sunday's trip to Fulham, Maresca said he saw no reason to panic.
“We've spent almost the entire season in the Champions League,” he said. “We're in the semi-finals of a European tournament. So why should we change anything now? I have no doubts about what we do and how we do it.
“For various reasons we had setbacks, like (against Legia), but for me it only strengthens us for the future.”
When asked if he felt supported by the owners, he replied: “Absolutely, without a doubt.”
Maresca made the surprising decision to start Cole Palmer and Nicholas Jackson against Legia, who were trailing 3-0 in the first leg in Poland.
Neither player has scored since January, with Jackson missing nearly two months through injury and the team struggling without goals from its best attackers.
Maresca was asked whether it would have been possible to qualify for the Champions League without goals from Palmer and Jackson.
“No,” he replied. “But I'm confident because they score when they really need to to change the game.
“Cole has scored 14 goals in 20 Premier League games. Niko was doing similar before his injury. He was out for two months, so it's likely
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
