Gusto on importance of silverware ahead of Chelsea's conference league tie with Legia
16/04/2025
uefa conference league
chelsea 3-0 Legia Warsaw quarter final second leg
16/04/2025
uefa conference league
chelsea 3-0 Legia Warsaw quarter final second leg
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon.
00:03Hiya.
00:04Hi, Tom.
00:05How are you?
00:06Good, how are you?
00:07Back from the surgery, yeah?
00:08Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:23OK, good afternoon and welcome to our Matchday Minus One press conference
00:28ahead of tomorrow's UEFA Europa Conference League quarterfinals
00:33second leg against Legia Warsaw.
00:35We will take the usual format today
00:38and we will begin with Paul Gilmore and Sky Sports News.
00:42Away you go, Paul.
00:45Hi, Enzo.
00:46Enzo, how do you find the balance between playing in a game
00:50that you're 3-0 up in the first leg,
00:52weighing that up against the really important Fulham League game on Sunday?
00:57No, we try to prioritise always the next match.
01:05The next match is tomorrow night.
01:09That for us is an important game
01:12because it can give us the opportunity to reach a semi-final
01:15in European competition.
01:17So that is the first one.
01:19And then hopefully we can reach the semi-final
01:22and focus on Sunday game.
01:24Has the Ipswich result made it slightly more difficult
01:28to kind of focus more on the next game?
01:30Do you have no choice but to think of Fulham,
01:32especially the way that the other teams
01:34in and around the Champions League places
01:36are picking up results at the moment?
01:38They are the Premier League games.
01:42They are the sixth game we have.
01:44They're going to be all important, all final.
01:47But at the same time, I think all the clubs,
01:51all the teams that we are involved in the Champions League spot,
01:54we are all going to win games and draw points until the end.
01:59I said already many times that when we win a game at this stage,
02:04you see yourself there and you are happy.
02:07And when you don't win a game, you can be a little bit sad or upset.
02:13But it's how you manage in this moment the emotion.
02:16We have been there and we would like to be there at the end of the season.
02:21And you spoke this week about the environment after the Ipswich game.
02:26Ahead of another home game, what's your message to the supporters
02:30and what's your message to your own players about the tactical approach?
02:34The message is always the same.
02:36Us with our support, our fans, we are a better team, we are stronger.
02:43Sometimes I completely understand that us as a team,
02:49we need to engage the fans.
02:51Something that probably Sunday we were not able to do it,
02:55especially for that 20-25 minutes.
02:58So it's also on us to be good enough and to engage our fans,
03:07because we knew this season, we saw this season,
03:10that when we were able to engage them, they support us in every game.
03:16Enzo, do you still have belief in your approach that it can entertain the fans,
03:20that it can be that style of football that they want to see?
03:23If you still believe in it, that it's going to be the kind of style that they will enjoy?
03:30First of all, 100%, and then also because I'm not able to do a different kind of style.
03:37So in case I'm not the one to do a different kind of style.
03:41And can you just remind people, I mean, we've seen a lot of your teams when they're playing well
03:46and when they're struggling.
03:47Can you remind people of what are the tactics that you'll always keep the same
03:52and what do you change a little bit maybe for the opposition or for the players you have?
03:56No, the only thing I can say is that I think the last six PL games at home
04:04we faced Southampton, Leicester, Wolves, West Ham, Spurs and Ipswich.
04:09We won 5-0-6 and probably the one that the people more enjoy has been the Spurs one.
04:17But Spurs was the only team in the last six games at home that they were trying to press higher.
04:24So this is the reason why probably we attack more and we attack more quick.
04:29But against the rest that they just wait inside the box is a different game.
04:34So we need to learn how to play different kinds of games.
04:38And then we change tactically, we change game by game.
04:42We change even during the game, the last game against Ipswich.
04:45We start in one way first half and then half time we change things.
04:49So we try always to give to the players the opportunity to win the game, create chances and try to do the right things.
04:58Simon.
05:01Hey Enzo.
05:03Why is the fans so important to you?
05:07Looking at something you said, for example, Leicester last season,
05:10you actually said the day my dear is doubted at the day after I will leave.
05:16Why is it so important to you?
05:18Because you even talk about on social media.
05:20Do you think it can make the difference between Champions League football and not the fans in the atmosphere?
05:25I think football belongs to the fans because they are the main part.
05:31And as a team, as a club, when your fans support you, I think it's important.
05:37Because first of all the players, they can receive that feeling and it's important.
05:41Also, as I said, I think we need to be good enough to engage them.
05:45In the last game, unfortunately, for 25 minutes, I think we were not good enough to engage them.
05:50But the first 20 minutes and the second half, I think the team did enough to win the game.
05:57Also because when you are 0-2 at home, with that moment, with that environment,
06:03it's more complicated to come back in the game.
06:05And we did that quite well.
06:07And the fans, I think, for me, they are important because they are the main part of any club in the world.
06:14Obviously, sometimes you're getting a bit of abuse from the staff.
06:19There was actually some shouts near where I was aimed towards you.
06:23Can you hear them and does it put you off at all? Does it upset you?
06:28Me, personally, not because I was focused on the game, to be honest.
06:34I was just focused on the game.
06:36I try always to be focused on the game, to see what's going on,
06:40to see if we need to change things, see if everything is working well.
06:43So, I try to be focused on the game.
06:46And on a lighter note, with all this pressure you're under to get Champions League football
06:50and deliver a first trophy for Chelsea and this ownership,
06:53how do you relax? Is there music that you listen to that particularly helps you?
06:59What kind of music do you play, perhaps on the car drive home or something?
07:03I try because sometimes I'm away from my country, so from Italy.
07:10Most of the time I try to play Italian music that brings me in a different environment.
07:19So, most of the time it's Italian music.
07:21Can you name any artists?
07:23One of them is Pino Daniele, that unfortunately passed away a few years ago,
07:29but it's my Italian preferred one.
07:32Andy?
07:33I'm going to have to follow up on that now, I'm afraid, Enzo, and ask,
07:36what kind of music is that?
07:38It's from my very close to where I was born, from my region, and it's quite easy music.
07:51It's not, how do you say, it's relaxed music.
07:55We would say easy listening.
07:57Yeah, exactly.
07:58Yeah?
07:59Yeah?
08:00So, it's kind of chill down music rather than pump up kind of music, yeah?
08:04Depends on the moment.
08:05Yeah?
08:06We won't see your car vibrating as you go out of the training ground then with a bass line.
08:11Can I just ask as well, the team's been in the top four quite a few weeks,
08:17it's dropped out of the top four at the moment, and you're in the Conference League,
08:22obviously the Champions League is the ultimate goal.
08:25Do you feel, like I said, this team is a young team,
08:28is it ready to make two steps up as quickly as next season, in your mind?
08:35In my mind, I think the team is ready, and the reason why I said that is because I think
08:42we proved this season.
08:45I think, even if sometimes from outside it's difficult to see that,
08:53but in the last two years, Chelsea has been top four zero times.
09:02This season, we have been top four most of our season.
09:07So, this is, I don't know the reason why I was not here last season, two years ago,
09:13so I'm not judging what's happened last year or two years ago.
09:18I'm just judging this season.
09:20And this is the reason why I think fans, they have to trust us, they have to trust the team,
09:26they have to trust the club, what we are doing now.
09:29And the reason why is because if in the last two seasons, Chelsea was zero times top four,
09:36and this season, we spent almost our season top four,
09:40I think it's a big proof that the team is improving and is doing the right things.
09:46Now, is it enough?
09:48For me, no.
09:49Because I would like to fight with this club for titles, for Premier League, for Champions League.
09:56But at the same time, I think we have to be realistic and see that this team, this season is improving.
10:02It's there. It's numbers.
10:04In the last two years, zero times top four. This season, almost all season.
10:09I think it's quite clear that we are in the right direction.
10:12Now, again, it's enough. For me, no.
10:14Because I would like to fight with this club for important things.
10:18And we are going to fight for important things.
10:21But at the same time, the fans and everyone also in this room,
10:25I think it's correct to trust us because we are doing the right things.
10:28Now we are not in the top four. Unfortunately, top five.
10:31So we are not happy. We are going to try to finish there.
10:34But it's a proof that we are doing the right things.
10:38Is that one of the counters to that might be you're going in the right direction,
10:43but maybe not fast enough to keep the fans happy?
10:47Yeah, but in terms of fast, for me, yes, we are going fast because this is my first season.
10:54So for me, we are going fast.
10:56Now, again, what happened last year or two years ago?
10:59I was not here. I don't have any idea. I'm not going to judge because it's difficult.
11:03But this season we are going. We are...
11:06We can reach European semi-final.
11:09That, yes, for sure, it's not Champions League.
11:12But at the end, it's European competition.
11:14We have been top four all season, almost all season,
11:18compared to last two seasons where the team has been zero times top four.
11:22I think it's quite clear that the direction is the right one.
11:27The style is the right one. Before the Ipswich game,
11:30we were the third best defenders after Arsenal and Liverpool.
11:35And the third or fourth best attacking.
11:37That show that there are numbers that show that the team is doing well.
11:42Now, unfortunately, we didn't win against Ipswich.
11:44We are all upset that we're going to try to win more games from now on
11:47to reach the Champions League spot.
11:51Peter?
11:55Hi, Enzo.
11:56Just on the point about regaining and taking the fans' trust
12:01and asking for the fans' trust and support.
12:03Do you feel you've got less time or have had less of that
12:08because of the past two seasons, because Chelsea have been outside of the top four?
12:13Listen, to be honest, if fans complain because after four minutes
12:20our keeper gives the ball away, if I am one of the fans, I also complain.
12:26But sometimes also they complain with something that probably they cannot see,
12:34but it's a planned game.
12:35So it depends game by game.
12:37Again, if they complain because last year or last two years, I don't know.
12:42The only thing I can say is that the fans with us, they have been always good.
12:48Sometimes they are not happy, but when you are 0-2 at home against Ipswich
12:55and we are making some mistake, it's normal that they are not happy.
13:00That's why I said we have to be good enough to engage the fans.
13:04Against Spurs was a perfect environment and I said immediately after the game
13:09because probably we were able to engage the people.
13:12But the problem is that most of the time the people are engaged when the game is quick,
13:18for instance Spurs, but when they sit back and the game is not quick,
13:22they are not engaged.
13:23But it's not because of us, it's because of the opposite.
13:27I wanted to ask you about engaging with the fans.
13:30Is it just about the style basically?
13:33Is that how you want the players to engage with the fans?
13:36Could you mention that?
13:37No, but when you attack and you create chances,
13:40I don't think the first 20 minutes the environment was top.
13:44We create chances, we could score 3-4 goals the first 20 minutes,
13:48then we start to make some mistakes, especially in the build-up with Robert,
13:52and they start to complain.
13:55Nine of ten, it's normal that they complain.
13:59So when I say we need to engage them,
14:01is that we need to play in the right way, create chances, try to score goals,
14:07because at the end if you score goals also, you know, the mood change for everyone.
14:12Have you spoken to the players about engaging with the fans specifically?
14:16Is this something you've taken aside to speak to?
14:18Since day one.
14:19Since day one, and I also said to you that since day one, for me the fans,
14:23they are very important.
14:24As with the fans, we are even better.
14:27Most of the game at home, the fans, they have been top fantastic supporting the team, help us.
14:32In some games, it happened in some moments, like the last one.
14:36They were not happy.
14:37So we have to be good enough to engage them again.
14:40Thank you, Peter.
14:42Do we have any questions from our visiting media?
14:45No?
14:46OK.
14:47Thanks, everyone.
14:50Sorry.
14:51Just write down the name of the...