Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was delighted with his side’s display as a 5-1 thrashing of Shamrock Rovers ended a perfect Conference League group stage for the favourites.
Marc Guiu scored a hat-trick in the first half as Chelsea secured first place – meaning they won’t play in the competition again until March.
Joining Chelsea in the first eight qualified for the last 16 are Vitoria, Fiorentina, Rapid Vienna, Djurgarden, Lugano, Legia Warsaw and Cercle Brugge.
Maresca said: “I am very happy with the performances and the results. In these types of games it’s easy not to. They showed how professional they are and this is the right way.
“Since we started we tried to share the minutes – tonight was for young players.
“Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George are still very young, but we are very happy with them.”
‘Marc is not happy’
Guiu took advantage of two mistakes in the defense to score before a good header earned him a hat-trick and a place at the top of the goalscoring table in the competition.
It’s a first-half hat-trick for 18-year-old Marc Guiu as he heads home to give Chelsea a 4-1 lead 😮💨
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/qYWeqUgbIn
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 19, 2024
The 18-year-old has six goals in the Conference Championship but has only made one substitute appearance in the Premier League so far.
Maresca said: “Marc is not happy as Nicolas (Jackson) and Christopher (Nkunku) are doing well.
“When you are nine and another nine doing well is a matter of being interrogated. It is important that they work hard day in and day out and then they get the chance.
“In January we don’t want to buy players, but players who are not playing but many of us are unhappy
“It depends on what happens in January and then we will decide.”
https://www.101greatgoals.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/guiu.jpg
2024-12-19 22:38:50