Sawt Falasteen - Maresca 'happy' with pressure of Champions League challenge

The Blues sit fifth, which would be enough for a Champions League return after a two-year absence, but are ahead of Aston Villa only on goal difference and are just one point better off than Nottingham Forest, who they travel to on the final day of the campaign.

Chelsea were cruising towards a top-five finish as Maresca's reign at Stamford Bridge got off to a flying start before a run of five wins in 16 games between December and April put them at risk of missing out.

Maresca's men have also reached the Europa Conference League final, where they will face Real Betis on May 28.

Reports this week have suggested the Italian's job is not at risk even if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League.

"The pressure is for all of us. It’s for the club, because we said since day one we have the duty to bring this club where this club has to be. That is top four, top five, the Champions League," Maresca said ahead of Friday's Premier League clash at home to Manchester United.

"At the beginning of the season, if someone said to us that we need to win the last two games to reach the Champions League, we are probably happy.

"Overall, this season, we had moments, for instance the first five or six months, where we were second and third, so that was even better. Now we are there and we will try to finish well."

Chelsea's chances of finishing the season strongly have not been helped by Nicolas Jackson's red card in a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle last weekend that will see the Senegalese striker miss the rest of the Premier League season.

Maresca does not have a natural replacement to call on with Christopher Nkunku out injured and Marc Guiu short on match fitness.

And he talked down the option of playing wingers Pedro Neto or Tyrique George in a more central role against United boss Ruben Amorim's preferred 3-4-3 system.

"Against a (defensive) line of five I prefer a real nine because you need to attack in behind, you need the threat. We don't have one so we need to find a different solution," added Maresca.

"I like a fake nine when we face a line of four because you can link a little bit more. It is what it is."

J.AbuHassan--SF-PST